We're in Church End, First timers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Leeds Building Society , and our lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unseasoned as FTB of a garden flat in Church End. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on the completion date from my conveyancer? If so, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Church End?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the purchase money to the owner’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you will be invited to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. Usually this occurs early afternoon.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Yorkshire BS. Church End conveyancing solicitors are selected. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Yorkshire BS?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Yorkshire BS conducted the survey? Have you advised Yorkshire BS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

After what seems like an age I have had an offer on a maisonette in Church End accepted, the sellers do nevertheless have a dependent purchase. The owners have offered on somewhere, however it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other flats booked. I have instructed a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Church End. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with Nottingham started?

It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then valuation, Church End conveyancing search costs, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Nottingham approved list. Concerning the next phase this very much dictated by the specifics of your case, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. During a hot market many home buyers will apply for a home loan with Nottingham and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their property lawyer to move forward with the conveyancing in Church End.

I purchased a renovated Edwardian property in Church End. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and National Westminster Bank. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Church End and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who carried out the work.

I am purchasing my first flat in Church End with a mortgage from HSBC Bank. The builders would not reduce the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not inform my lawyer about the deal as it would adversely affect my loan with the lender. 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.

Given that I am about to part with 450k on a two bedroom apartment in Church End I would like to talk to a lawyer regarding thetransaction before instructing the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we recommend - we would be delighted to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the lawyer who will be conducting your conveyancing in Church End.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique person, not a file number. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Church End should be the figure that you are charged.