I require conveyancing for an apartment in a fairly new development (6 years built) in Biddulph. The vast majority the flats are already occupied. Is it really necessary to order local searches as part of conveyancing in Biddulph?

If you are purchasing a property with the assistance of a loan, your mortgage company will need some (many) of the searches so you'll have no choice. If not, then Biddulph conveyancing searches are optional. No doubt your conveyancer, will 'advise', perhaps in the strongest possible terms, that you should not go ahead without searches, but he or she has a professional duty to do this. One thing to bear in mind; if you are likely to sell the house one day, it may be of interest to your future buyer what the searches contain. Sometimes houses with no practical issues can still throw up adverse search results. But if you insist that your lawyer to proceed without searches then your lawyer will have to follow your instructions or you will need to switch to another solicitor for your conveyancing in Biddulph.

Should my solicitor be raising questions about flooding during the conveyancing in Biddulph.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Biddulph. There are those who purchase a property in Biddulph, completely aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that can be initiated by the purchaser or by their solicitors which should give them a better understanding of the risks in Biddulph. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms supplied to a buyer’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual question of the seller to find out if the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that the premises has been flooded in past and is not revealed by the seller, then a buyer may commence a claim for damages resulting from an inaccurate reply. A buyer’s conveyancers should also carry out an environmental search. This will indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations should be initiated.

I'm buying my first flat in Biddulph with the aid of help to buy. The builders refused to reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not to tell my lawyer about this extras as it will put at risk my loan with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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 sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Biddulph for my sale. Is there any facility to see a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Members of the public can find published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may recorded call for training purposes.

Can I find out who owns a property in Biddulph?

On the basis that the premises is recorded at HM Land Registry, and you have the details of the location of the premises, you will be able to obtain results from the the Land Registry of the recorded proprietor for a fee.