We chose a Haverfordwest based firm for my conveyancing in Haverfordwest today. Going through the terms of engagement I notewe are responsible for charges even if the sale aborts. Should I go with them or appoint a web based conveyancing brokerage promoting no move no charge conveyancing in Haverfordwest?

Generally there is a compromise along the lines that if "No Completion No Fee" is advertised then the fee levels will tend to be be higher to offset the cases that do not go ahead. You should be mindful that such arrangements rarely protect you from disbursements for example Haverfordwest conveyancing search charges.

We're in Haverfordwest, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Barclays , and our solicitor is on the Barclays conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no lawyer 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.

When it comes to lenders such as Barclays, do Haverfordwest property lawyers face a yearly amount to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any mortgage company fees to be on their list of approved firms, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Haverfordwest off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Skipton. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Skipton, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel.

I currently have a mortgage with HSBC for my property in Haverfordwest. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform HSBC?

Your original mortgage agreement with HSBC will provide that you need their approval prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of HSBC’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact HSBC directly. You need not do this via a HSBC conveyancing panel firm.

I am selling our house in Haverfordwest and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being constructed land that was not decontaminated. A high street Haverfordwest lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers used an online conveyancing outfit rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Haverfordwest. We have lived in Haverfordwest for 5 years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to seek clarification need.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm already. What do they say? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same sickness)

I am buying my first flat in Haverfordwest with a mortgage from Birmingham Midshires. The builders refused to move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The estate agent told me not disclose to my conveyancer about this side-deal as it will adversely affect my loan with Birmingham Midshires. 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.