I was referred a solicitor who has given a fee calculation of £1400 for freehold conveyancing in Church End. I am selling a Georgian detached home for £225,000. This appears over the top. Is it in excess of the norm for conveyancing in Church End?

The quote is slightly on the expensive side. If you are prepared to spend time contrasting charges you might decrease the fees slightly by as much as a hundred pounds. On the other hand, you maylive to rue choosing an an untested conveyancer. Don't forget to check that the solicitor can act for your bank. Do employ our search tool to find a Church End conveyancing firm on the lender’s approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Church End.

I am purchasing a terraced house in Church End. Can I do my own conveyancing?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Church End you will have to appoint a solicitor on your mortgage company's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Church End.

My bid for a property was accepted at auction in Church End. Conveyancing is required. What happens now?

Having for in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you must instruct a conveyancing lawyer quickly as you are facing a pending a drop dead date to complete the transaction. Every auction property will have an associated auction set of papers. This will likely include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the auction pack should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork relating to a leasehold property. You need to pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. You also need to ensure that you have funds organised to complete on the date specified in the contract.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with UBS. Church End conveyancing practitioners were chosen. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from UBS?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have UBS conducted the survey? Have you informed UBS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the UBS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

Having digested plenty 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 Church End solicitor - who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Clydesdale will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Clydesdale 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 lawyer 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 Church End postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Clydesdale, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Church End.

I am purchasing a new build house in Church End with a loan from Leeds Building Society. The sellers would not move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep advised me not reveal to my conveyancer about the extras as it could put at risk my mortgage with Leeds Building Society. 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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in last month in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Church End is where the house is located. Is there any guidance you can give?

Flying freeholds in Church End are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Church End you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Church End may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.