I require conveyancing for a flat in a fairly new development (five years built) in Nantwich. 95% of the properties have already been occupied. Do I need carry out the conveyancing searches for my conveyancing in Nantwich?

You are opening yourself up to an unnecessary risk in failing carrying out Nantwich conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying without a mortgage there is no legal necessity to have them, but we would strongly advise in no uncertain terms that you have them. Where time pressures and expenses are top of your concerns you should consider with your lawyer about the option of search insurance

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Kent Reliance. I assume I don't need a Nantwich conveyancer 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 have instructed a Nantwich lawyer having checked that they are on the Skipton conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Skipton will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Skipton will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Nantwich surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

I have finally had an offer on a flat in Nantwich agreed to, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, however it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties booked. I have chosen a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Nantwich. What should be my next step? At what stage should I apply for the mortgage with Yorkshire BS?

It is normal to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (home loan application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then valuation, Nantwich conveyancing search costs, etc). The first thing to do is ensure that your conveyancer is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. Regarding the subsequent phase this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market the majority of purchasers will apply for the mortgage with Yorkshire BS and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they ask their conveyancer to proceed with the conveyancing in Nantwich.

I require fast conveyancing in Nantwich as I have a deadline to complete within 4 weeks. Fortunately I do not require a mortgage. Can I decline from having conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

As you are not getting a home loan you have the choice not to do searches although no conveyancer would advise that you don't. With plenty of history conveyancing in Nantwich the following are examples of issues that can crop up and adversely impact future mortgageability: Refused Planning Applications, Overdue Charges, Outstanding Grants, Road Schemes,...

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Nantwich?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Nantwich. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I am purchasing a new build house in Nantwich with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not move on the price so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent advised me not inform my lawyer about the extras as it will impact my loan with Virgin Money. Is this normal?.

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.