We had appointed conveyancers located in Lydney on the Aldermore solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a separate fee for handling the Aldermore mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by Aldermore?

Provided it is contained in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your conveyancing practitioner is entitled to charge a fee for this. The charge is not dictated by Aldermore but by your Lydney conveyancing practitioner. Plenty of firms on the Aldermore panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

I am expecting a AIP from Skipton this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Skipton recommend any Lydney solicitors on the Skipton conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Lydney solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Skipton conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Skipton through the process.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Kent Reliance. I assume I don't need a Lydney conveyancing practitioner on the Kent Reliance panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your Kent Reliance mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Kent Reliance mortgage from the register. Kent Reliance, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Kent Reliance has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Kent Reliance has instructed the Land Registry to do so

I am buying a new build house in Lydney with a loan from Skipton Building Society. The developers refused to budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent told me not reveal to my lawyer about the deal as it would put at risk my mortgage with Skipton Building Society. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Lydney is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can impart?

Flying freeholds in Lydney are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Lydney you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Lydney may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

How do I use the search facility to get a quote from a conveyancing lawyer in Lydney on the panel for my mortgage?

First pick a bank such as Santander, Coventry Building Society or Britannia then type in your location a common one being Lydney. Conveyancing organisations in Lydney and beyond will then be listed.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Lydney conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Lydney conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggest that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Lydney conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be useful:

Can they put you in touch with clients in Lydney who can give a testimonial? If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

Leasehold Conveyancing in Lydney - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

How much is the service charge and ground rent on the apartment? How many years are left on the lease? Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments?