It is a dozen years since I purchased my property in Birmingham and the Black Country. Conveyancing solicitors have now been retained on the sale but I can't track down the title deeds. Is this a major issue?

Don’t worry too much. First the deeds may be with the lender or they could be in the possession of the conveyancers who acted in the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Birmingham and the Black Country involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

Various web forums that I have come across warn that are the number one cause of hinderance in Birmingham and the Black Country house deals. Is that correct?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published determinations of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the top 10 causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are not likely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Birmingham and the Black Country.

I'm buying a new build house in Birmingham and the Black Country benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not move on the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The sale representative told me not to tell my solicitor about the side-deal as it will impact my loan with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

My husband and I are 14 days into a residential purchase having been directed to solicitors by the selling agent to execute conveyancing in Birmingham and the Black Country. I am am very dissatisfied with the level of service. Can you you assist me in finding new lawyers?

A conveyancer would need to be very poor in order to consider diss instructing them. Has your mortgage offer been generated? If so you need to advise them of the new contact details and have the loan are re-issued. The conveyancer should be on the mortgage company approved list to avoid escalating fees and frustration. So that should be your starting point. Our search tool will help you find a lender approved conveyancer for your home move in Birmingham and the Black Country

Is planning consent required to split a single dwelling into multiple flats in Birmingham and the Black Country? This has taken place to a property opposite to a relative in Birmingham and the Black Country and was not aware of it happening until it was complete.

Planning Consent yes. Building Reg Approval yes.