My wife and I are about to complete buying a property in Roker but as a consequence of damage from some water damage at the property I have managed to agree reparation from the current proprietors of six thousand pounds taking the form of a adjustment in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of the conveyancing process but Kent Reliance are not allowing this. Why were they informed?

Any conveyancing practitioner that is on the Kent Reliance approved list is required to advise Kent Reliance of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your property lawyer to disclose the price change to Kent Reliance then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Kent Reliance and you would have to appoint a new solicitor for your conveyancing in Roker.

We are purchasing a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in Roker who is on the Bank of Ireland solicitor panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a conveyancing firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Bank of Ireland . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Roker.

A friend advised me that where I am buying in Roker I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Roker conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Roker around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Roker.

I am purchasing my first flat in Roker with a loan from Leeds Building Society. The developers refused to budge the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not disclose to my conveyancer about the deal as it could adversely affect my loan with Leeds Building Society. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I have been pointed in your direction by numerous selling agents in Roker to choose a property lawyer using your seach tool. What’s the financial incentive for Estate Agents to promote your lawyers ahead of another?

We refuse to make any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.