It is a dozen years since I bought my property in Thatcham. Conveyancing solicitors have now been instructed on the sale but I can't find my deeds. Is this a major issue?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be kept by the mortgage company or they could stored with the conveyancers who handled your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining current official copies of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Thatcham relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your property is unregistered it is more tricky but is not insurmountable.

What is the best way to investigate if the solicitor conducting my conveyancing in Thatcham is on the lender’sapproved panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for TSB thus spending £187.00 plus VAT in supplemental legal invoice.

Please do make the most of the search tool on this site. Pick the mortgage company and type ‘Thatcham’ or your preferred area and you will discover numerous conveyancers based in Thatcham or by proximity to you.

My wife and I are buying a apartment in Thatcham. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we will need to deposit money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I am the only recipient of my late grandmother’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Thatcham. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in March. I want to move. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', which means that my property ownership may be considered the same way as if I'd bought the house in March. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook instructs solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you could be caught by that. How practical a view lenders take of it, depend on the bank as this provision principally exists to identify subsales or the flipping of properties.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Thatcham solicitor having checked that they are on the Principality conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Principality will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Principality 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 Thatcham 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.

What can a local search tell me about the house we're buying in Thatcham?

Thatcham conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company such as Searchflow The local search is essential in every Thatcham conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any nasty once you have moved into your property. The search should supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject headings.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Thatcham. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Thatcham

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Please supply a car parking plan. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision.