We are due to exchange buying a property in Wotton under Edge but as a consequence of damage from the recent storms I have managed to agree reparation from the seller in the sum of £2k in the form of a deduction in the price. This was going to be addressed as part of amending the contract yet Lloyds will not permit this. Should they have been approached?

Any solicitor being on the Lloyds conveyancing panel is required to disclose to Lloyds of any variations to the purchase price. If you prohibit your solicitor to disclose the reduction to Lloyds then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Lloyds and you would have to appoint a new conveyancer for your conveyancing in Wotton under Edge.

I am purchasing a new build flat in Wotton under Edge. Can I do my own conveyancing?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Wotton under Edge you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender'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 Wotton under Edge.

Can I be sure that the Wotton under Edge conveyancing solicitor on the Clydesdale panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Wotton under Edge getting recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always advocate that you speak with the lawyer handling your transaction.

I have a mortgage with Barclays for my property in Wotton under Edge. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. Should I wish to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Barclays?

Barclays must be informed of your intention prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Barclays’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Barclays directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Barclays conveyancing panel solicitor.

I recently had an offer accepted on a house in Wotton under Edge. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their solicitor. I paid an upfront payment of £175. Not long after, the conveyancing practitioner contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Bank of Ireland panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

I'm buying my first flat in Wotton under Edge benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about the deal as it would affect my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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 issue on a house I put an offer in last month in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Wotton under Edge is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Wotton under Edge are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Wotton under Edge you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Wotton under Edge 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 property.