My partner and I are getting closer to an exchange on a house in Pembrokeshire and my parents have transferred the ten percent deposit to my property lawyer. I am now told that as the deposit has been received from someone other than me my property lawyer needs to make a notification to my bank. Apparently, in also acting for the bank he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is not just from me. I informed the lender regarding my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really appropriate for this now to be an issue?

The lawyer is obliged to check with mortgage company to ensure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own resources. The solicitor can only report this to your bank if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

My home in Pembrokeshire is up for sale and I have a buyer. Will my property lawyer need to be required to be on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel in order to deal with repayment of my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their panel criteria fairly frequently currently.

I am buying my first flat in Pembrokeshire with the aid of help to buy. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent told me not disclose to my solicitor about the side-deal as it may adversely affect my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Pembrokeshire is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Pembrokeshire are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Pembrokeshire you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Pembrokeshire may decide 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 property.

There are only Sixty One years remaining on my lease in Pembrokeshire. I need to get lease extension but my freeholder is missing. What options are available to me?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have used your best endeavours to find the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document which can be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Pembrokeshire.

I purchased a split level flat in Pembrokeshire, conveyancing formalities finalised 6 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Pembrokeshire with over 90 years remaining are worth £186,000. The ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2077

With just 53 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £27,600 and £31,800 plus professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.