Our son is about to exchange on a newly built flat in Peterborough with a home loan from HSBC. His lawyer has advised him of a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. This document is news to me - what is it and who needs sight of it?

The form is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the HSBC conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when requested. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the HSBC conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

What happens if my solicitor is suspended from the Aldermore Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Peterborough?

First, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

I completed on my flat on 16 March and my personal details is not yet registered. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in Peterborough said it should be registered inside ten days. Are titles in Peterborough uniquely lengthy to register?

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Peterborough registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ depending on the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry must send notices to any third parties. As of today approximately 80% of such applications are fully addressed within two weeks but some can be subject to extensive hold-ups. Historically registration occurs after the buyer is living at the property therefore an expedited registration is not typically an essential issue yet if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your lawyers can contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I am looking into buying my first house which is in Peterborough and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Peterborough. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Peterborough area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Peterborough. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Peterborough. Conveyancing and Aldermore mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing practitioner in Peterborough who acted for me is not around. What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Peterborough conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Peterborough - Sample of Queries before buying

Be sure to investigate if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. For example it is very common in Peterborough leases that pets are not permitted in in a block in Peterborough. If you love the propertyin Peterborough yet your cat is not allowed to live with you then you have a very difficult determination. How many years remain on the lease? You will want to discover as much as you can about the managing agents as they can either make your living at the property much simpler or a lot more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues like the cleanliness of the communal areas. Don't be afraid to ask other tenants whether they are happy with them. Finally, be sure you understand the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the relevant party and precisely how they are spending that money.