My wife and I are soon to complete on the purchase of a property in Sawtry but as a result of damage from some water damage at the property I have managed to agree compensation from the current proprietors of three thousand pounds by way of a reduction in the price. This was going to be addressed as part of amending the contract however Clydesdale will not permit this. Should they have been involved?

Any property lawyer being on the Clydesdale approved list is duty bound to inform Clydesdale of any amendments to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your property lawyer to report the reduction to Clydesdale then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Clydesdale and you would have to appoint a new lawyer for your conveyancing in Sawtry.

Can I be sure that the Sawtry conveyancing solicitor on the TSB panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Sawtry getting recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advise that you speak with the lawyer handling your conveyancing.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Sawtry off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Principality. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use 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 Principality, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Principality conveyancing panel.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Sawtry property lawyer having made sure that they are on the TSB conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

TSB will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually TSB will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Sawtry surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

Should my conveyancer be raising questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Sawtry.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers carrying out conveyancing in Sawtry. There are those who purchase a house in Sawtry, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Lawyers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that can be carried out by the buyer or by their solicitors which should give them a better understanding of the risks in Sawtry. The standard information supplied to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a usual question of the vendor to determine if the premises has suffered from flooding. If flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a buyer could commence a compensation claim stemming from an misleading answer. The purchaser’s conveyancers will also conduct an environmental search. This should indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be initiated.

I am purchasing a new build house in Sawtry with a loan from TSB. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The property agent advised me not disclose to my conveyancer about this extras as it could impact my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

My husband and I are novice buyers - had an offer accepted, yet the selling agent advised that the vendor will only move forward if we instruct the agent's chosen lawyers as they are insisting on a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Sawtry

It is highly unlikely the owners are driving this. Should the seller desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a motivated purchaser is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Bypass the agents and go straight to the sellers and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you are unencumbered (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you intend to use your own,trusted Sawtry conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will provide their negotiator at the agency a referral fee or hit his conveyancing figures pre-set by senior management.