AssumingI were to purchase a straightforward homein Warwickshire mortgage fee and dispense with a survey and no conveyancing searches how much should I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Warwickshire?

The only reduction in fees you would make on is the costs for searches. A conveyancer is obliged to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, liaising with your sellers conveyancer, SDLT submission, register the title etc. A slight saving might be made by not needing to register a mortgage but it won't be significant.

I happen to be the sole recipient of my late grandmother’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Warwickshire. The Warwickshire property was put into my name in June. I now wish to sell up. I understand that there is a CML six month 'rule', which means that my proprietorship may be considered the same way as though I had purchased the house in June. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook instructs conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you could be impacted by that. How sensible a view mortgage companies take of it, depend on the lender as this provision is primarily there to identify subsales or the flipping of properties.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Coventry BS. Warwickshire conveyancing lawyers have been appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Coventry BS?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Coventry BS done the survey? Have you advised Coventry BS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I have finally had an offer on a flat in Warwickshire agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have placed an offer on somewhere, but it’s not yet tied up, and have viewings of other apartments booked. I have instructed a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Warwickshire. What do I do now? When should I get the mortgage application with Leeds Building Society started?

It is understandable to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Warwickshire conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must check that your solicitor is on the Leeds Building Society approved list. Concerning the next phase this very much depends on the specifics of your case, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market many home buyers would apply for a home loan with Leeds Building Society and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their conveyancer to proceed with the conveyancing in Warwickshire.

How does conveyancing in Warwickshire differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Warwickshire contact us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is completed. This is because house builders in Warwickshire typically acquire the site, 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 Warwickshire or who has acted in the same development.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Warwickshire for my purchase. Is it possible to see a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

Members of the public may see published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from inquisitions started on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's history, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes recorded call for training reasons.

Why can't I complete our conveyancing in Warwickshire on May bank holiday?

Because on completion the money will pass between the banks of the buyer and owner’s solicitor and currently this can only happen on a business day. It is not possible to complete on a weekend either.