Can you help? My Middlesbrough lawyer is assuring me that he is legally obliged toorder Middlesbrough conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the HSBCconveyancing panel. Is this really necessary?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a lender your conveyancer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the CML Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Middlesbrough conveyancing searches.

I purchased a freehold premises in Middlesbrough but nevertheless invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Middlesbrough and has limited impact for conveyancing in Middlesbrough but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges date back hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

Previous rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 is to be extinguished.

What is your number one tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Middlesbrough

It would be unwise to be seduced by the cheapest Middlesbrough conveyancing fees. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.

I am helping my niece sell her flat in Middlesbrough. Will the conveyancing solicitor arrange the energy performance certificate or should I organise this?

Following the abolition of Home Packs, energy performance certificates became a compulsory element of selling a house. An EPC should be to hand in advance of the property being marketed. It is not something that conveyancers ordinarily arrange. If you are using a Middlesbrough conveyancing solicitor they might be able to arrange EPC’s due to their relationships with long established Middlesbrough energy assessors

I am buying a property in Middlesbrough. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Leeds Building Society be concerned?

As your lender is Leeds Building Society your lawyer must check the formal instructions outlined in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Leeds Building Society. The CML Handbook includes minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancers are required to report to Leeds Building Society where a lease fails to comply with these specifications. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not limited to Middlesbrough.

I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Middlesbrough. I now require my file but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Middlesbrough of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I am purchasing a new build house in Middlesbrough with the aid of help to buy. The developers refused to budge the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative told me not inform my solicitor about this side-deal as it may impact my mortgage with Virgin Money. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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.