My lawyer has uncovered a defect with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Woburn Sands. The other side have offered title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our conveyancing practitioner says that he must be satisfied that the lender is willing to move forward with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the bank?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the mortgage company are the client. Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the mortgage company can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

It is is a decade since I acquired my house in Woburn Sands. Conveyancing solicitors have now been retained on the sale but I can't locate my title documents. Is this a problem?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be retained by your lender or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who oversaw your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the property will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors procuring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Woburn Sands involves registered property but in the rare situation where your property is unregistered it is more problematic but is resolvable.

My bid for a property was accepted at auction in Woburn Sands. Conveyancing is necessary. What happens now?

Given that you have now legally committed yourself to purchase you now have to instruct a conveyancing solicitor quickly as you are facing a tight a fixed date to complete the property. Every auction property will have a corresponding auction set of papers. This will likely include most,if not all of the documents that your solicitor will need. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the conveyancing pack should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to a leasehold property. You must pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor ASAP. You also need to ensure that you have funds organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Please help - my lawyer says that lack of planning permission insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Woburn Sands?

The right level of lack of planning permission indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between Barclays and Skipton Building Society. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to borrowers take out such insurances.

We previously chose conveyancing lawyers locally in Woburn Sands on the Nationwide solicitor panel. They are now charging me an additional fee for the legal aspects of the Nationwide mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Nationwide?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your lawyer can charge a fee for this. The charge is not set by Nationwide but by your Woburn Sands conveyancer. Some firms on the Nationwide panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but many practices incorporate it on their overall fee.

I need to instruct a conveyancing practitioner in Woburn Sands for my home move. Is there any facility to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Members of the public may find documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions started on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes monitor call for training purposes.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £150,000 apartment in Woburn Sands next Thursday. The landlords agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Woburn Sands?

Woburn Sands conveyancing on leasehold flats usually necessitates the buyer’s lawyer sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to such questions the majority will be willing to do so. They are entitled to levy a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Woburn Sands - Sample of Questions you should consider before buying

How much is the ground rent and service charge? Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability?