Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Bowthorpe. My lender is Bank of Ireland

Bank of Ireland have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 6/12/2025, the requirements read as follows :

I am buying a detached bungalow in Bowthorpe. The intention is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will legal due diligence on the property involve enquiries to determine if these alterations are allowed?

Your solicitor will review the deeds as conveyancing in Bowthorpe will occasionally reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prohibit categories of works or necessitated the permission of a 3rd party. Some additions call for local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Many locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be wise to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I have paid off my mortgage with Aldermore. I assume I don't need a Bowthorpe lawyer on the Aldermore panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your Aldermore mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Aldermore mortgage from the register. Aldermore, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Aldermore has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Aldermore has instructed the Land Registry to do so

I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Bowthorpe. My financial adviser suggested a solicitor. I paid an on account payment of £175. Not long after, the property lawyer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Aldermore panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

Me and my brother purchased a semi-detached Edwardian property in Bowthorpe. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Leeds Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Bowthorpe and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the position with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.

How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my commercial property in Bowthorpe and how can your lawyers assist?

The particular law that you refer to gives a safeguard to commercial leaseholders, granting the dueness to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease reaches an end. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing solicitors who use the act to your advantage and help with commercial conveyancing in Bowthorpe

What is the reason for my solicitor requiring numerous items of identification ahead of starting selling or purchasing a property in Bowthorpe?

Bowthorpe conveyancers are obliged by the Law Society, Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Land Registry and current AML Regulations to record that the have verified the identity of their clients. It is also sometimes a condition of your mortgage offer. Furthermore they have to complete various forms, particularly those relating to SDLT and need to have details such as your full names, national insurance number and date of birth.