In the event thatI was to purchase a simple residential homein Bury for cash and dispense with a survey and no local authority searches how much should I expect to to save on my conveyancing in Bury?

The sole saving you would achieve is the Bury conveyancing searches. A lawyer is required to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, liaising with your vendors conveyancing practitioner, stamp duty return, register the property etc. A slight saving might be made by not needing to register a mortgage however it won't be significant.

What happens if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the Lloyds Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Bury?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

My wife and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from Aldermore as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our home in Bury. Do we need to select a local Bury solicitor on the Aldermore conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Aldermore would not normally appoint a member of their conveyancing panel to handle such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Aldermore panel.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Bury. I have a mortgage offer with Yorkshire BS. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Yorkshire BS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel.

I have a mortgage with Aldermore for my property in Bury. Conveyancing has been completed 12 months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Aldermore?

Aldermore must be informed of your intention before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Aldermore’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Aldermore directly. You need not do this via a Aldermore conveyancing panel firm.

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

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Bury. 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…’

What does commercial conveyancing in Bury cover?

Bury conveyancing for business premises incorporates a wide array of services, given by regulated solicitors, relating to business premises. For example, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the assignment of existing business tenancies or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial loans and the termination of leases.