A colleague informed me that in purchasing a property in Cross Hands there may be various restrictions limiting what one can do in terms of external alterations to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of anumerous of properties in Cross Hands which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to perform external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Cross Hands should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I happen to be the only beneficiary of my late father’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Cross Hands. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in December. I want to move. I understand that there is a Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', which means that my proprietorship will be regarded the same way as if I'd bought the house in December. Will no one buy the property for half a year?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook requires conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you could be caught by that. Some lenders would take a practical view as this obligation is chiefly there to pick up on the purchase and immediately sell or the quick reselling of property.

I have paid off my mortgage with Coventry BS. I assume I don't need a Cross Hands solicitor on the Coventry BS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your Coventry BS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Coventry BS mortgage from the register. Coventry BS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Coventry BS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Coventry BS has instructed the Land Registry to do so

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Cross Hands?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Cross Hands. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one close by in Cross Hands I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 51 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Cross Hands in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

My husband and I are a couple of weeks into a residential purchase having been referred to solicitors by the selling agent to perform conveyancing in Cross Hands. I am am very dissatisfied with the level of service. Can you you assist me in finding new conveyancers?

A lawyer would have to be very bad to suggest replacing them. Has the mortgage offer been generated? If so you need to advise them of the replacement conveyancer and get the loan are re-issued. Your conveyancer should be on the banks approved list to avoid supplemental fees and complications. So that should be your starting point. The find a solicitor tool can assist you in finding a lender approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Cross Hands

What if there is a problem with the searches carried out as part of our conveyancing in Cross Hands?

Normally, almost all issues disclosed in Cross Hands conveyancing search responses can be dealt with in advance of completion or title insurance may be put in place. You should note that although you intend on acquiring the property and may be content to live with the search results, your lender may not, and when all said and done the decision rests with them.