Can you help? My Devon conveyancer is informing me me that she is duty bound toconduct Devon conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the Nat Westconveyancing panel. These Devon searches cost a lot of money can this be avoided?

You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a home loan with a mortgage company your property lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook conditions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Devon conveyancing searches.

Do I need to take out insurance to protect me from financial exposure to chancel repairs when buying a house in Devon?

Unless a prior purchase of the house took place after 12 October 2013 you may take it that conveyancing practitioners carrying out conveyancing in Devon to remain recommending a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.

I decided to have a survey carried out on a house in Devon ahead of instructing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor advised that some mortgage companies may not issue a loan on a flying freehold home.

It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Devon. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I am looking for a conveyancing lawyer in Devon for my home move. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's record with the profession’s regulator?

Anyone may read documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from inquisitions commenced on or after Jan 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded telephone calls for training requirements.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Devon conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Devon conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you talk with two or three firms including non Devon conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be helpful:

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not? What are the costs for lease extension conveyancing?

Devon Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Its a good idea to find out as much as possible concerning the managing agents as they can either make living at the property much easier or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you are often in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical matters like the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask other people what they think of their management. In conclusion, be sure you know the dates that the service fees are due to the appropriate party and precisely how they are spending that money. Plenty Devon leasehold apartments will incur a service bill for the upkeep of the building set by the management company. If you purchase the apartment you will have to meet this liability, normally periodically during the year. This could differ from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built blocks. There will also be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant amount, say approximately £25-£75 but you need to check it because occasionally it can be prohibitively expensive. It is important to be aware if fixing the lift or some other significant cost is due shortly to be shared between the leasehold owners and will dramatically impact the level of the maintenance costs or result in a specific invoice.