Our god-son is in the process of securing a newly built flat in Cranfield with a home loan from Leeds Building Society. His conveyancer has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. This document is news to me - what is it and who needs sight of it?

The form is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

My father advised me that in purchasing a property in Cranfield there may be a number of restrictions preventing external changes to the property. Is this right?

We are aware of anumerous of properties in Cranfield which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Cranfield should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I have paid off my mortgage with UBS. I assume I don't need a Cranfield conveyancer on the UBS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your UBS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the UBS mortgage from the register. UBS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where UBS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. UBS has instructed the Land Registry to do so

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in September 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, Yorkshire BS are being difficult. The Cranfield solicitor who is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Yorkshire BS are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Yorkshire BS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Yorkshire BS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Yorkshire BS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I have justbeen informed that Arc property Solicitors have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in Cranfield for a purchase of a freehold house 10 months ago. How can I check that my home is registered correctly in the name of the former proprietor?

The easiest way to see if the property is registered to you, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Cranfield conveyancing specialists.

Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Cranfield prior to appointing solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. Our surveyor advised that some banks tend refuse to give a mortgage on such a premises.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different instructions from Nationwide. If you contact us we can look into this further with the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Cranfield. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I'm remortgaging my current property to a BTL loan with Chelsea Building Society and I will use the ballance of the raised equity towards a second property. The area we are looking at is Cranfield. Will your lawyers be able to act for both sets of banks and link together the conveyances?

Do use our search tool on this page to be sure that the solicitors are approved by both banks. Having checked that they are your solicitor will be able to tie up the two deals but you should talk with you conveyancer and make apparent your expectations and needs.