My aunt passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in St Nicholas. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £4500. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Barclays, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

Given you plan to re-mortgage then Barclays will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Barclays conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Barclays mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

I am buying a property and the solicitor has identified Chancel Repair to which the house could be obligated to pay given it’s proximity to the area of such a church. She has suggested insurance. Is this really required for conveyancing in St Nicholas

Unless a previous purchase of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you could take it that conveyancing practitioners delivering conveyancing in St Nicholas to continue to propose a a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I used Wolstenholmes a few years past for my conveyancing in St Nicholas. I now require my papers but the law firm has closed. What do I do?

Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing 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 St Nicholas 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.

How does conveyancing in St Nicholas differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build property in St Nicholas approach us having been asked by the developer to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is constructed. This is because developers in St Nicholas tend to acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in St Nicholas or who has acted in the same development.

I see that you have a post code search directory identifying law firms on the mortgage company conveyancing panel. Do St Nicholas conveyancing companies pay you a commission if I retain them for my own conveyancing?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in St Nicholas.