Is the fact that my solicitor in Belmont is not identified on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?

That is more than likely an incorrect assumption to make. There are plenty of plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should contact the Belmont conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.

Will my lawyer be raising enquiries regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Belmont.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers conducting conveyancing in Belmont. There are those who acquire a property in Belmont, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Lawyers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, but there are a various searches that can be initiated by the buyer or by their solicitors which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Belmont. The standard completed inquiry forms sent to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual question of the vendor to find out whether the premises has ever been flooded. If the property has been flooded in past which is not revealed by the vendor, then a buyer could commence a legal claim for losses resulting from an misleading answer. A buyer’s solicitors may also order an environmental report. This will reveal if there is any known flood risk. If so, further investigations will need to be conducted.

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

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

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £235,500 and found one near me in Belmont I like with a park and transport links in the vicinity, however it's only got 61 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Belmont in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer about this.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Belmont. Conveyancing and HSBC Bank mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Belmont who previously acted has long since retired. Do I pay?

First contact HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Belmont conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am the registered owner of a second floor flat in Belmont. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the amount due for the purchase of the freehold?

You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Belmont conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Belmont flat is Buchanan Court 39 Vernon Road in April 2010. the Tribunal assessed that the premium payable for the freehold of the block should be £44,000. This case related to 2 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 66.67 years.