It is a dozen years since I purchased my home in Cockermouth. Conveyancing solicitors have just been appointed on the sale but I am unable to track down the title documents. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be kept by the lender or they may be archived 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 are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Cockermouth relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

Please explain the implications if my solicitor is removed from the Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Cockermouth?

First, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

I moved into my home on 14 August and my personal details are still not registered. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in Cockermouth expressed confidence that it should be recorded inside ten days. Are properties in Cockermouth uniquely lengthy to register?

As far as conveyancing in Cockermouth is concerned, registration is no quicker or slower than anywhere else in England and Wales. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can vary subject to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry must send notices to any other parties. As of today approximately 80% of submission are fully addressed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be extensive hold-ups. Historically registration takes place once the new owner has moved in to the premises so registration formalities is not always top priority but if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your conveyancer could contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Cockermouth benefiting from help to buy. The sellers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent suggested that I not to tell my solicitor about this extras 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.

What does commercial conveyancing in Cockermouth cover?

Cockermouth conveyancing for business premises covers a broad array of advice, given by regulated solicitors, relating to business premises. For example, this area of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more commonly, the transfer of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of leases.