My husband and I are buying an apartment in Freshford. My lawyer is not on the mortgage company approved list. Is it possible for me to appoint my Freshford conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the bank list of approved lawyers?

You must instruct a to complete the legal work required when you require a loan to buy your property. The will conduct all the essential legal checks on the property, ensuring that you’re registered as proprietor and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is dealt with. One could select a Freshford of your choosing. Nevertheless, where the appointed is not on the bank approved list additional costs will be levied as separate legal representation will be need by the mortgage company. Lender panel applications can be submitted, so where your conveyancer has not historically applied for membership they should take the chance to apply.

The owners have rather assertive sellers who has recommended a preliminary contract with a down payment 10k. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

There are two primary concerns with signing a lock out agreement (sometimes termed a shut-out contract) is that it can distract from making progress with the conveyancing work, so unless it requires little or no negotiation then it may transpire to be a hindrance. It is not strongly advocated by Freshford conveyancing lawyers as a result. A supplemental negative is the extent of the remedies available - a jilted buyer is very unlikely to be granted an injunction to prohibit the seller selling to an alternative purchaser, so the only remedy available under the contract will be the recovery of wasted charges and, in rare circumstances, the extra payment of damages.

I am buying a new build house in Freshford benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The estate agent advised me not disclose to my conveyancer about this side-deal as it could impact my loan with the bank. Is this normal?.

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.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £305k and identified one close by in Freshford I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Freshford for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you require a mortgage that many years will likely be problematic. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

Why do Freshford conveyancing costs differ for leasehold and freehold properties?

If acquiring a leasehold property there is more work involved purely due to the fact that usually there are further parties involved in the form of the freeholder and/or Management Agents. As part of a lawyers enquiries they will check that all ground rent and service charges are paid up to date amongst other general leasehold matters. For this reason, the Sellers lawyers usually have to refer to the freeholder or Managing Agent for their replies to our questions. This may be time consuming and beyond the lawyers control