We are buying a newly constructed duplex in Messingham and my lawyer is informing me that she has to the lender to reveal incentives from the seller. I am under pressure to sign contracts and I don't want to delay the conveyancing. Is my lawyer right?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your solicitor. A precondition to being on a lender panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Messingham. My lender is Chelsea Building Society

Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 27/8/2025, the requirements read as follows :

We are buying a house in Messingham. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a solicitor? At some point we will need to deposit our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I just acquired a flat at auction in Messingham. Conveyancing is needed. What is next?

Now that you have legally bound yourself to purchase you must choose a conveyancing lawyer quickly as you are facing a pending deadline in which to complete the transaction. Every auction property should have a corresponding legal set of papers. This will include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. In the case of leasehold property the auction papers should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation pertinent to a leasehold property. You should hand this to the solicitor instructed by you ASAP. You also need to ensure that that you have the requisite funding organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Intending to buy a house in Messingham. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Skipton conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Messingham property lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and identified one close by in Messingham I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Messingham suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be problematic. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

I have just started marketing my basement apartment in Messingham. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is clear the service charge as usual as all rents and maintenance payments will be allotted 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 management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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.

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Messingham, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Messingham with a long lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2083

With only 58 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £22,800 and £26,400 plus legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.