We are buying a newly built apartment in Barnstaple and my lawyer is telling me that she has to the bank to disclose incentives from the builder. I am on a tight deadline to exchange contracts and I have no desire to delay deal. Is my lawyer right?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your property lawyer. A precondition to being on a lender panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our home in Barnstaple and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers are using a national conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Barnstaple. Having lived in Barnstaple for three years we know that this is a non issue. Do we contact our local Authority to seek clarification that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. What do they say? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same sickness)

It has been 3 months following my purchase conveyancing in Barnstaple completed. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £215,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I'm buying a new build house in Barnstaple benefiting from help to buy. The developers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The property agent advised me not reveal to my solicitor about the deal as it will put at risk my mortgage with the lender. 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 happen to be an executor of my recently deceased parent's Will, with a bungalow in Barnstaple which is to be marketed. The house has never been registered at the Land Registry and I'm advised that some buyers solicitors will insist that it is done before they will proceed. What's the procedure for this?

In the situation you refer to it seems advisable to apply to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. The Land Registry’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and certified copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.