In reviewing consumer advice sites for an online lawyer in Heswall, many advise that I must use a CQS assured solicitor. Can you explain what CQS is?

The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) provides a recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practices issued by the Law Society. Membership achievement establishes a level of credibility for member firms with stakeholders (regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers) based upon: * the integrity of the senior responsible officer and other key conveyancing staff * the firm's adherence to good practice management standards * compliance with prudent and efficient conveyancing processes via the scheme protocol It includes numerous companies who carry out conveyancing in Heswall.

We had chosen solicitors located in Heswall on the Virgin Money solicitor panel. They have just billed me a separate charge for the legal aspects of the Virgin Money mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Virgin Money?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your solicitor is entitled to charge a fee for this. The charge is not dictated by Virgin Money but by your Heswall lawyer. Some firms on the Virgin Money panel will quote an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Heswall. My financial adviser suggested a lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £150. A couple of days later, the conveyancer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Nottingham panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

My sealed bid on a semi in Heswall has been accepted, but there is a chain. The owners have offered on somewhere, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties booked. I have chosen a high street conveyancing solicitor in Heswall. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with TSB started?

It is normal to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs prematurely (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then valuation, Heswall conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must check that your solicitor is on the TSB approved list. Concerning the next stages this very much dictated by the circumstances of your case, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a rising market many home buyers will apply for a home loan with TSB and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their solicitor to proceed with searches.

It has been 4 months following my purchase conveyancing in Heswall took place. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £175,000 when infact I paid £160,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the premises from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I am purchasing a new build house in Heswall benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to move on the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative told me not reveal to my conveyancer about the extras as it will impact my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Heswall. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Heswall are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Heswall so you should seriously consider looking for a Heswall conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.