This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Nottinghamshire. Do I receive the keys to the property on completion from my solicitor? If so, I will appoint a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Nottinghamshire?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will arrange to send the purchase money to the vendor’s conveyancers, and once they have received this, you should be invited to pick up the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens early afternoon.

I've digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Nottinghamshire 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 conveyancer 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 Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire.

After what seems like an age I have had an offer on a flat in Nottinghamshire agreed to, the sellers do nevertheless have a dependent purchase. The owners have placed an offer on on an apartment, however it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other flats in the pipeline. I have selected a high street conveyancing solicitor in Nottinghamshire. What do I do now? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with Skipton?

It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (mortgage application is approx one thousand pounds, then valuation, Nottinghamshire conveyancing search costs, etc). The first course of action is to check that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Skipton approved list. As to the subsequent phase this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your case, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a rising market many home buyers would apply for the mortgage with Skipton and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.

I'm buying my first flat in Nottinghamshire with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not move on the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The estate agent suggested that I not to tell my lawyer about the side-deal as it may put at risk my mortgage with Godiva Mortgages Ltd. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

What does commercial conveyancing in Nottinghamshire cover?

Commercial conveyancing in Nottinghamshire covers a wide array of services, offered by regulated solicitors, relating to business property. By way of example, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the transfer of existing business tenancies or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial loans and the termination of leases.

As co-executor for the will of my uncle I am disposing of a property in Newport but I am based in Nottinghamshire. My lawyer (based 235 miles awayrequires that I execute a stat dec prior to completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Nottinghamshire who can attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or qualified solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in Nottinghamshire

I've found a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Nottinghamshire. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Nottinghamshire are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Nottinghamshire so you should seriously consider looking for a Nottinghamshire conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

I acquired a 1st floor flat in Nottinghamshire, conveyancing formalities finalised January 2006. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Nottinghamshire with a long lease are worth £207,000. The ground rent is £60 per annum. The lease terminates on 21st October 2075

You have 57 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £28,500 and £33,000 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.