My partner and I swapping mortgage lender for our apartment in Cottenham with Co-operative. We have a son 18 who lives with us. Our solicitor has asked us to disclose any adults other than ourselves who lives in the flat. Our lawyer has now e-mailed a document for our son to sign, waiving any legal rights in the event that the flat is repossessed. I have a couple of questions (1) Is this document specific to the Co-operative conveyancing panel as he never had to sign this form when we bought 3 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?

On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Co-operative. This is solely used to protect Co-operative if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Co-operative had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

Do I need to visit the offices of the solicitor to sign the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Cottenham so that I can attend their offices when needed.

Whereas this was necessary 15 years ago, most banks no longer oblige their conveyancing panel lawyer to witness the mortgagors signature. It will still be necessary for you to hand over identification documents and there are still manifest benefits to using a local practitioner, in your situation a conveyancing solicitor in Cottenham.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Cottenham. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Cottenham

The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Cottenham for my house move. Is it possible to see a firm’s record with the legal regulator?

One can review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find information Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could monitor call for training purposes.

I have just had an offer accepted on an apartment in Cottenham and the estate agent that we are dealing with suggested his conveyancing practitioner. They quoted £800 plus VAT and 3rd party costs. Does this sound steep?

You should not rely on a single quote. One should obtain like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in Cottenham. Then select one that you are comfortable with and just as important, is on the approved list of the lender that you have applied for a mortgage from.