I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Park Hill off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Lloyds. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Lloyds, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Lloyds conveyancing panel.

The mortgage over my property is with Leeds Building Society for my property in Park Hill. Conveyancing has been completed some time ago. Should I wish 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 Leeds Building Society?

Your original mortgage agreement with Leeds Building Society will provide that you need their approval before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Leeds Building Society’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let 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 Leeds Building Society directly. You need not do this via a Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor.

I can not work out if my lender requires a lease extension. I have telephoned my Park Hill bank branch on a couple of occasions and was informed it wasn't a problem and they will lend. My Park Hill conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called to say that they refuse to lend in accordance with their published requirements. I simply don't know who is right.

As long as the property lawyer is on the lender panel, she or he must follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

We are intent on selling our home in Park Hill and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed land that was not decontaminated. Any local lawyer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the purchasers used an internet conveyancing firm as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Park Hill. We have lived in Park Hill for six years we know that this is a non issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to get confirmation need.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. What do they say? You need to enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same sickness)

I'm buying a new build house in Park Hill benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The estate agent suggested that I not reveal to my lawyer about the side-deal as it will impact my mortgage with the lender. 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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what should have been a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Park Hill is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Park Hill are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Park Hill you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Park Hill may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

Do I have to attend the offices of the lender conveyancing panel solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Park Hill so that I can pop in to their offices if necessary.

Whereas this was necessary 15 years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Park Hill.