I am due to complete buying a property in Lyndhurst but as a consequence of wreckage from some water damage at the property I have managed to agree recompense from the current proprietors in the sum of £3k taking the form of a reduction in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of a side agreement but UBS will not permit this. Should they have been notified?

Any property lawyer that is on a UBS conveyancing panel is obliged to advise UBS of any amendments to the sale price. If you were to refuse your solicitor to disclose the price change to UBS then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, UBS and you would have to appoint a new conveyancer for your conveyancing in Lyndhurst.

We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The bank mentioned the loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to instruct their panel lawyer as I would much rather appoint a high street conveyancing solicitor in Lyndhurst?

You should check but the the probability is that appoint one of their panel solicitors should you take up the "fee-free" offer. Speak to the bank and see if they allow a cash alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in Lyndhurst.

I happen to be the only recipient of my late father’s will with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Lyndhurst. The Lyndhurst property was put into my name in December. I now wish to sell up. I understand that there is a CML six month 'rule', which means that my property ownership could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the house in December. Will no one buy the property for half a year?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook obliges conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be caught by that. How sensible a view lenders take of it, depend on the lender as this clause is chiefly there to capture subsales or the quick reselling of properties.

Does a directory service exist listing Virgin Money panel solicitors in Lyndhurst on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

No. There is no such facility on the CML or Building Society Association websites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings visible online. Where you are looking for a Lyndhurst property lawyer on the Virgin Money please make the most of our facility.

I've read lots of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Lyndhurst solicitor - who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Skipton will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Skipton 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. You may wish to consider appointing your own Lyndhurst surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

Should commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that could impact a commercial estate in Lyndhurst?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Lyndhurst will perform a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers invest in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Lyndhurst. The report provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Lyndhurst.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Lyndhurst it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. Failure to identify developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately can result in delays to Lyndhurst commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not conducted for residential conveyancing in Lyndhurst.

I am employed by a busy estate agency in Lyndhurst where we have witnessed a few flat sales put at risk due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local Lyndhurst conveyancing solicitors. Please can you clarify whether the seller of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I am the registered owner of a leasehold flat in Lyndhurst, conveyancing having been completed in 2007. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar properties in Lyndhurst with an extended lease are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease terminates on 21st October 2092

With just 66 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £12,400 and £14,200 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.