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

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

I am buying a new build house in Alston benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not budge the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent told me not inform my lawyer about the extras as it will impact my loan with Virgin Money. 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.

What makes your site different to other online quote calculators for conveyancing in Alston?

At this site secure a conveyancing quote from a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that has a full understanding of the issues of your conveyancing in Alston. Unlike many estate agents and many comparison sites we do not charge firms a commission if you appoint them for your property ownership legalities in Alston

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing solicitor in Alston for my house move. Is it possible to review a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

One may review presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from investigations commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded call for training reasons.

Back In 2000, I bought a leasehold flat in Alston. Conveyancing and HSBC Bank mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing solicitor in Alston who previously acted has long since retired. What should I do?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Alston conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I bought a split level flat in Alston, conveyancing having been completed 4 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in Alston with a long lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2083

You have 58 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £22,800 and £26,400 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.