It is is a decade since I bought my home in Salcombe. Conveyancing lawyers have now been appointed on the sale but I can't locate the title deeds. Will this jeopardise the sale?

You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be retained by the lender or they could stored with the solicitor who handled your purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers procuring current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Salcombe relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your home is not registered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

When scouring moneysavingexpert.com for a high-quality lawyer in Salcombe, most post that I must use a CQS accredited lawyer. Can you explain what CQS is?

The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) provides a recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practices issued by the Law Society. Membership achievement establishes a level of credibility for member firms with stakeholders (regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers) based upon: * the integrity of the senior responsible officer and other key conveyancing staff * the firm's adherence to good practice management standards * compliance with best practice conveyancing processes via the scheme protocol the standard covers numerous organisations who conduct conveyancing in Salcombe.

The deeds to my house are lost. The conveyancers who handled the conveyancing in Salcombe years ago are no longer around. What are my options?

Assuming you have a registered title the details of your ownership will be recorded by HMLR under a Title Number. It is possible to conduct a search at the Land Registry, locate your property and obtain up to date copies of the Registered Entries for less than a fiver. If the property is Leasehold then the Land Registry will usually retain a certified duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be ordered for a small fee.

I'm buying my first flat in Salcombe with a mortgage from . The sellers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep told me not to tell my conveyancer about the side-deal as it may affect my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

As co-executor for the estate of my father I am disposing of a residence in Swansea but I am based in Salcombe. My conveyancer (based 260 miles from mehas requested that I execute a statutory declaration before completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Salcombe to attest this legal document for me?

strictly speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are located in Salcombe