I was referred a conveyancer who has given a fee estimate just over a thousand pound for no sale no fee conveyancing in Neath Port Talbot. I’m selling a Edwardian detached home for £275,000. Is this over the top? Is it above what I should be paying for conveyancing in Neath Port Talbot?

The quote is fractionally on the expensive side. Where you are content to spend time comparing charges you might decrease the fees slightly by perhaps £125. On the other hand, you maycome to regret choosing an an untested conveyancer. If is important to ensure the conveyancer can also act for your bank. Do make use of our search tool to locate a Neath Port Talbot conveyancing company on the banks approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Neath Port Talbot.

What is the first thing I need to know about purchase conveyancing in Neath Port Talbot?

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Neath Port Talbot and elsewhere in England and Wales is an adversarial experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists lots of room for friction between you and others involved in the legal transfer of property. For example, the vendor, property agent and sometimes your lender. Selecting a lawyer for your conveyancing in Neath Port Talbot should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE person in the process whose responsibility is to look after your best interests and to keep you safe.

We are witnessing a distinct ongoing adversarial element to conveyancing- someone has to be blamed for the process taking so long. We recommend that you your first instinct should be to trust your lawyer ahead of all other players when it comes to the legal assignment of property.

Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Neath Port Talbot. Conveyancing is needed. What is next?

Now that you have exchanged you should appoint a conveyancing lawyer soon as you are faced with a tight deadline in which to complete the purchase. Every auction property will ordinarily have a bespoke auction pack. This will likely include evidence of title and search results. In the case of leasehold property the conveyancing papers should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation pertinent to leasehold premises. You must pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that that you have the requisite funding in place to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Does a directory service exist listing Virgin Money panel solicitors in Neath Port Talbot on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?

No. There is no such facility on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of mortgage companies make their panel listings available over the internet. If you are seeking to appoint a Neath Port Talbot conveyancing practitioner on the Virgin Money please use our tool.

I've digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Neath Port Talbot solicitor - who is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Kent Reliance will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Kent Reliance 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. Your conveyancing practitioner will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Neath Port Talbot postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Kent Reliance, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Neath Port Talbot.

I am buying a new build house in Neath Port Talbot benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The house builders rep advised me not inform my solicitor about this deal as it would jeopardize my mortgage with the bank. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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 am looking for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one round the corner in Neath Port Talbot I like with a park and railway links nearby, however it only has 52 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Neath Port Talbot in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?

Should you require a home loan the shortness of the lease will be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you may 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 with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.