My mortgage broker has requested my Yate lawyer’ panel reference for the Lloyds conveyancing panel. How do I obtain this. I have tried my local Yate office but they have not got back to me yet.

Have you tried calling your Yate conveyancer about this?. Most Yate conveyancing practices will keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each bank.

Having spent time looking at mumsnet.com for an online lawyer in Yate, most post that I should look for a CQS kitemarked lawyer. What is CQS?

The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised quality mark for legal experts in home ownership transfers, trusted by some of the UK's biggest lenders. In 2011-12 the Conveyancing Quality Scheme was officially recognised by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The scheme does not cover licenced conveyancers. Yate is one of the many areas in England and Wales where there are Accredited lawyers.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Yate. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Nottingham be concerned?

As your lender is Nottingham your lawyer must follow the formal instructions contained in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nottingham. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to Nottingham where a lease fails to meet these requirements. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not restricted to Yate.

Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Yate solicitor - who is on the Barclays conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Barclays will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Barclays 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. Your conveyancing practitioner will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Yate postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Yate.

UBS have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a flat in Yate has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

Your estate agent will wish to know who your solicitors are (ensure that the solicitors are on the bank’s panel). Call up UBS or your broker and finish off any outstanding documentation. UBS will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or vendor to arrange a time for the valuation to happen. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes on average a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. UBS will issue the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Yate.

My wife and I own a semi-detached Victorian house in Yate. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Coventry Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the matching property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Yate and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the conveyancing.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Yate. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Yate

The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company?