I am purchasing a newly constructed apartment in Whalley Range and my lawyer is advising me that she has to the lender to disclose incentives from the builder. I am under pressure to exchange and I don't want to delay the conveyancing. Is my lawyer right?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on a lender panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

We had selected conveyancing lawyers based in Whalley Range on the UBS solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a supplemental charge for handling the UBS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by UBS?

As unfair as it may seem, as long as it’s in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your conveyancer is entitled to charge a fee for this. This charge is not dictated by UBS but by your Whalley Range lawyer. Plenty of firms on the UBS panel will quote an ‘acting for lender’ fee but some practices include it on their overall fee.

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Whalley Range. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

Almost all banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Whalley Range conveyancer having checked that they are on the UBS conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

UBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually UBS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your solicitor will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Whalley Range postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with UBS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Whalley Range.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Whalley Range for my home move. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

You may read published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could recorded call for training purposes.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Whalley Range. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Whalley Range Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Its a good idea to find out as much as you can about the managing agents as they will either make your life much simpler or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you are often at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask prospective neighbours if they are happy with their service. In conclusion, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. It is important to be aware if a new roof is being installed or some other major work is pending to be shared by the leasehold owners and will materially increase the the maintenance charges or require a specific payment. Who is in charge of the building?

How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find a Whalley Range based one who is on the lender conveyancing panel. Is it advisable to appoint a new law firm?

If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to start work and at this stage simply received an estimate as to costs, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer in Whalley Range that you're thinking of instructing.