Will conveyancers request an advanced payment for my conveyancing in Bodelwyddan?

Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in Bodelwyddan your lawyer will ask you to provide them with funds to cover the the cost of the conveyancing searches. This will be the total of the cost of the conveyancing searches. If any deposit is payable against the total price then this will be required immediately ahead of exchange of contracts. The final balance that is needed should be transferred a few days prior to the completion date.

The mortgage over my property is with Santander for my property in Bodelwyddan. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Santander?

You must advise Santander before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Santander’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Santander directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Santander conveyancing panel firm.

I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in June 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Aldermore are being pedantic. The Bodelwyddan solicitor who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Aldermore are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Aldermore have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Aldermore have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Aldermore may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

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

TSB will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually TSB 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 Bodelwyddan 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 our lawyer be raising questions about flooding during the conveyancing in Bodelwyddan.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers dealing with homes in Bodelwyddan. Some people will purchase a house in Bodelwyddan, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous searches that can be carried out by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which should give them a better understanding of the risks in Bodelwyddan. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms sent to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual question of the seller to discover whether the premises has ever been flooded. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not revealed by the seller, then a buyer could bring a claim for damages stemming from an misleading response. A purchaser’s lawyers will also conduct an environmental search. This should higlight if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be initiated.

How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial offices in Bodelwyddan and how can you help?

The particular law that you refer to gives a safeguard to commercial leaseholders, granting the a statutory right to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease reaches an end. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are involved. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Bodelwyddan is one of our many locations in which our lawyers are located

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Bodelwyddan conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Bodelwyddan conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you speak with two or three firms including non Bodelwyddan conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be of use:

What volume of lease extensions has the firm carried out in Bodelwyddan in the last twenty four months? How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?

Bodelwyddan Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Does the lease have onerous restrictions? The answer will be important as a) areas can cause problems in the building as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where repairs remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the running of the building you will want to have complete disclosure How much is the annual service fee and ground rent?