My wife and I are buying a property in Roker. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we will need to deposit funds into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We previously instructed solicitors with offices in Roker on the Bank of Ireland solicitor approved list. They are now charging me an additional fee for the legal aspects of the Bank of Ireland mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Bank of Ireland?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your lawyer can levy a fee for this. This fee is not set by Bank of Ireland but by your Roker conveyancing practitioner. Numerous firms on the Bank of Ireland panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but some firms include it on their overall fee.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Roker off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Skipton. 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 Skipton, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our home are lost. The solicitors who dealt with the conveyancing in Roker 5 years ago are no longer around. What do I do?

In today’s world there are copies made of almost everything, and your solicitor will be aware precisely where to find all the appropriate documentation so you may buy or dispose of your property without any difficulty. If copies are not available, your solicitor can arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities against possible claims on the property.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Roker benefiting from help to buy. The sellers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The house builders rep advised me not inform my lawyer about the extras as it could jeopardize my loan with Santander. 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.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Roker for my house move. Is it possible to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Members of the public can find documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find records Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could monitor telephone calls for training reasons.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Roker conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Roker conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Roker conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be useful:

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason? Can they put you in touch with clients in Roker who can give a testimonial?

I inherited a leasehold flat in Roker, conveyancing formalities finalised 9 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable flats in Roker with a long lease are worth £227,000. The ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2091

With 72 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.