My home in Stoke Poges is up for sale and I have a buyer. Does the conveyancing practitioner need to be on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off 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 panel criteria fairly frequently currently.

Please help - my lawyer says that flying freehold insurance is required on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Stoke Poges conveyancing?

The right level of flying freehold indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Birmingham Midshires and Chelsea Building Society. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with RBS. Stoke Poges conveyancing lawyers were chosen. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from RBS?

There is no definitive answer here. Have RBS conducted the survey? Have you informed RBS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the RBS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I can not work out if my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Stoke Poges bank branch on various occasions and was told it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Stoke Poges conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they will not lend based on their specific requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the conveyancing practitioner is on the bank panel, she or he must follow the CML Handbook conditions for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Stoke Poges with a mortgage from Aldermore. The builders refused to reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about the side-deal as it will put at risk my mortgage with Aldermore. 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.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Stoke Poges I like with amenity areas and railway links in the vicinity, however it's only got 51 years on the lease. There is not much else in Stoke Poges for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

I am a sole trader looking to lease a unit on the high street. Can you recommend conveyancers offering competitive charges for commercial conveyancing in Stoke Poges for under £2000?

We are happy to recommend firms who have an in-depth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Stoke Poges, including the disposal and purchase of businesses as well as simply premises. If you are intending to acquire or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a complete business we will put you in touch with the right firm. Regarding the fees these will vary based on the structure and nuances of the proposed transaction. Let us have your details or call us so that we may provide you with a detailed commercial conveyancing quote.