I have a mortgage with UBS for my property in Newbury. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform UBS?

You must advise UBS in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of UBS’s mortgage conditions. It may be that UBS will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact UBS directly. You need not do this via a UBS conveyancing panel lawyer.

My offer was accepted on an apartment in Newbury on 5/1/2026, valuation was booked 4 days after, received a clean bill of health. Solicitor instructed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to RBS and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the RBS conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?

A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for RBS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the RBS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Newbury conveyancing practitioner having made sure that they are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

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 Newbury 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 Newbury.

A relative advised me that if I am purchasing in Newbury I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

This is a search is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Newbury conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Newbury around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Newbury Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Newbury.

The deeds to our property are lost. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Newbury 10 years ago have long since closed. What are my options?

These day there are duplicates made of almost everything, and your lawyer will be aware exactly where to locate all the relevant documentation so you can buy or sell your house without any difficulty. Where duplicates are not available, your solicitor may be able to arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities against possible claims on the property.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Newbury. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Newbury

Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Please supply a car parking plan. Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company?

I am a sole trader wishing to take an assignment of a lease of an office on a shopping parade. Can you recommend lawyers offering no-sale-no fees for non-domestic conveyancing in Newbury for below £1,200?

We are happy to recommend firms who have well rounded knowledge of commercial conveyancing in Newbury, including the sale and acquisition of businesses as well as simply premises. Whether you are hoping to acquire or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a whole business we will put you in touch with the right lawyer. As for the fees these will vary based on the structure and nuances of the proposed transaction. Please provide us with your details or email us so that we can supply you with a fixed commercial conveyancing quote.