It is a dozen years since I purchased my home in Brynford. Conveyancing solicitors have now been retained on the sale but I can't locate the deeds. Is this a problem?

Don’t worry too much. First the deeds may be retained by the lender or they could stored with the solicitor who oversaw the purchase. Secondly in most cases the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors procuring up to date copy of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Brynford involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it is more of a problem but is resolvable.

I am buying a terraced house in Brynford. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Brynford you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Brynford.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and identified one round the corner in Brynford I like with a park and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 61 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Brynford suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be an issue. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.

I have been advised by a number of property agents in Brynford to get a quote from a property lawyer using your seach tool. Is there a financial upside for Estate Agents to promote your lawyers over and above another?

We don’t give any commission for directing people in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

My husband and I are disposing of a Brynford apartment we inherited some years ago in 2009. I have over a decades worth of conveyancing know-how and, although retired, intend to carry out the conveyancing. The buyer's conveyancing practitioner has informed me that their Lenders will not allow you to do your own conveyancing as they require the funds to be released via a solicitor's bank account.

Mortgage requirements to property lawyers from all mainstream lenders state that If the vendor does not have legal representation the purchaser’s lawyers should check whether the mortgage company needs to be informed so that a decision can be made if they are prepared to move forward.