We are purchasing a newly constructed duplex in Ramsey and my solicitor is informing me that she is duty bound to the bank to reveal incentives from the builder. I am nearing the developer’s deadline to sign contracts and I don't want to prolong matters. Is my lawyer right?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on a bank panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

We are selling our home in Ramsey. Does my solicitor need to be on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Bank of Ireland 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 specifications fairly frequently currently.

I just acquired a house at auction in Ramsey. Conveyancing is necessary. What is next?

Now that you are exchanged you will need to retain a conveyancing lawyer soon as you now have a pending a fixed date to complete the purchase. All auction property will have a corresponding auction pack. This should include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the conveyancing pack should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork specific to a leasehold property. You must pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that your finances are in place to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Ramsey. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.

I have finally had an offer on an apartment in Ramsey accepted, the vendors do however have a dependent purchase. The vendors have placed an offer on somewhere, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other flats in the pipeline. I have instructed a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Ramsey. What do I do now? At what point do I apply for the mortgage with Clydesdale?

It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Ramsey conveyancing search fees, etc). The first thing to do is ensure that your solicitor is on the Clydesdale approved list. Concerning the subsequent phase this very much depends on the specifics of your case, motivation for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market many buyers would apply for the mortgage with Clydesdale and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their solicitor to move forward with the conveyancing in Ramsey.

A colleague advised me that where I am buying in Ramsey I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

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

I dont have enough spare funds to pay a 10% deposit on my flat purchase in Ramsey , but I am keen go ahead. What can I do?

One option is to try and accept a lesser deposit. Many property owners will agree to a smaller deposit or even no deposit for a first time buyer or 100% mortgage. Be aware though that if you fail to complete you will still need to hand over a minimum of 10% of the purchase price regardless of how much deposit was agreed.

You can also agree a simultaneous exchange and completion as no deposit is required for this however neither party will be tied in until completion actually takes place and it can be risky if sellers change their mind at the last moment