My uncle passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Lees and Moorside. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £5k. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Coventry BS, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

Given you intend to refinance then Coventry BS will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Coventry BS conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Coventry BS mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

The deeds to my house are lost. The lawyers who handled the conveyancing in Lees and Moorside 5 years ago no longer exist. What do I do?

As long as the title is registered the details of your proprietorship will be evidenced by the Land Registry with a Title Number. It is possible to perform a search at the Land Registry, locate your house and get up to date copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. Where the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will in most cases hold a certified copy of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be ordered for twenty pounds.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Lees and Moorside for my home move. Can I see a firm’s record with the profession’s regulator?

Members of the public can find published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could recorded call for training requirements.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my ground floor flat in Lees and Moorside. Conveyancing is yet to be initiated, however I have recently received a quarterly service charge invoice – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear the service charge as normal because all rents and service invoices should be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

Lees and Moorside Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

Please note that where the lease has less than eighty years it will affect the marketability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely need a lease extension at some point and it is worth discovering how much this will be. For most Lees and Moorsidelease extensions you will be be obliged to have been the owner of the residence for 24 months before you are legally able to carry out a lease extension. Please tell me if there are any major works in the near future that could add a premium to the service costs? Does this lease have more than 85 years unexpired?

At what point do I cover the costs of the Stamp Duty Land Tax chargeable for my Lees and Moorside property purchase?

Your solicitor should complete a stamp duty return on your behalf as part of your Lees and Moorside purchase transaction for you to sign. After completion your lawyer will submit the STL application to the Inland Revenue and - assuming they have the funds - discharge any Stamp Duty liability on your behalf.