Me and my wife are purchasing a leasehold flat in Aberystwyth. My Solicitor has never been on on the lender approved list. Am I still permitted to appoint my Aberystwyth conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the mortgage company list of approved lawyers?

You must appoint a property lawyer to deal with the legal work required if you require a mortgage to purchase your home. The conveyancing practitioner will carry out all the appropriate due diligence on the property, make sure that you will be registered as proprietor and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is dealt with. You may instruct a Aberystwyth conveyancer of your choice. However, if the conveyancing practitioner appointed is not on the mortgage company solicitor panel supplemental charges will be levied as separate legal representation will be required by them. Bank panel applications can be submitted, so if your conveyancer has not in the past applied for membership they should take the opportunity to apply.

My relative advised me that if I am purchasing in Aberystwyth I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Aberystwyth conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Aberystwyth around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Aberystwyth Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Aberystwyth Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Aberystwyth.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our property can not be found. The solicitors who dealt with the conveyancing in Aberystwyth 4 years ago no longer exist. What are my options?

You no longer need to hold title original deeds to evidence that you are the registered proprietor of land or premises, given that the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.

I am purchasing my first flat in Aberystwyth with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep advised me not inform my lawyer about the side-deal as it may put at risk my loan with the bank. 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.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what was supposed to be a quick, chain free conveyancing. Aberystwyth is the location of the property. Can you offer any opinion?

Flying freeholds in Aberystwyth are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Aberystwyth you must be sure that your lawyer goes 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 Aberystwyth may decide 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.