My partner and I are nearing an exchange on a house in Shirehampton and my parents have sent the ten percent deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not arrived from me my lawyer needs to disclose this to my lender. I am advised that, 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 disclosed to the lender regarding my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really necessary for him to raise this?

Your solicitor is legally required to check with the bank to ensure that they know that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own resources. Your solicitor can only report this to your lender if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

I am the registered owner of a freehold house in Shirehampton yet pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Shirehampton and has limited impact for conveyancing in Shirehampton 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 have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to appoint their panel lawyer as I would much rather use a local conveyancing solicitor in Shirehampton?

Do check but the the probability is that appoint one of their panel conveyancers if you take up the "fee-free" offer. Contact the lender and see if they allow a monetary alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case you could put that amount towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor near Shirehampton.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Shirehampton?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Shirehampton. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £305k and identified one close by in Shirehampton I like with a park and station in the vicinity, however it's only got 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Shirehampton in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.