My husband and I are nearing an exchange on a flat in Norwich and my parents have sent the ten percent deposit to my property lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my conveyancer needs to make a notification to my mortgage company. Apparently, in also acting for the bank he must advise them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I advised the mortgage company about my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really necessary for him to raise this?

Your property lawyer is duty bound to clarify with mortgage company to ensure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. The solicitor can only reveal this to your lender if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

When can the exchange of contracts take place for domestic conveyancing in Norwich and do I need to attend the conveyancers office?

Where you are in close proximity to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Norwich you are welcome to come in to sign the paperwork. That being said, the lender approved solicitors we recommend supply countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when communicating with you digitally. The signing of the property agreement is not the important part. A signed contract is necessary for the conveyancer to officially exchange when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a long "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Norwich)to be in the office at the appropriate time.

I am purchasing a new build house in Norwich with a mortgage from Chelsea Building Society. The sellers would not move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about the deal as it will impact my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

What makes a Norwich lease defective?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Norwich. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain clauses are erroneous. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

A duty to insure the building

You will encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. National Westminster Bank, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and Bank of Ireland all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to pull out.

I invested in buying a garden flat in Norwich, conveyancing having been completed 10 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Norwich with an extended lease are worth £201,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ceases on 21st October 2090

With only 65 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £13,300 and £15,400 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

I have recently placed an offer on a leasehold flat in Norwich and the mortgage adviser that we are using suggested his conveyancer. They quoted a thousand pounds including VAT and 3rd party costs. Does this sound like a good deal?

Don't just go on a single estimate. One should obtain like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in Norwich. Then pick one that you trust and just as important, is on the approved panel of the bank that you have applied for a mortgage from.