As someone unfamiliar with the Bodfari conveyancing process what’s the number one tip you can give me concerning the house moving process in Bodfari

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Bodfari and elsewhere in Denbighshire is an adversarial process. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists an abundance of room for confrontation between you and other parties involved in the legal transfer of property. E.g., the seller, estate agent and on occasion your lender. Selecting a lawyer for your conveyancing in Bodfari is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the process whose responsibility is to look after your best interests and to keep you safe.

Sometimes a potential adversary may attempt to persuade you that you should follow their advice. For example, the estate agent may claim to be helping by suggesting your lawyer is wrong. Or your financial adviser may try to convince you to do something that is contrary to your lawyers advice. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the conveyancing process.

My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Bodfari. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £4500. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Kent Reliance, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Given you plan to re-mortgage then Kent Reliance will require that you use a conveyancer on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Kent Reliance conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Kent Reliance mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

A relative pointed out to me me that in purchasing a property in Bodfari there may be various restrictions prohibiting external alterations to the property. Is this right?

We are aware of anumerous of properties in Bodfari which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Bodfari should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Bodfari off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Nottingham. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Nottingham, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Bodfari. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

I am buying a property and the lawyer has identified Chancel Repair to which the house could be liable as it falls into the area of such a church. He has mentioned insurance. Is this really required for conveyancing in Bodfari

Unless a previous acquisition of the premises completed post 12 October 2013 you could expect conveyancing practitioners carrying out conveyancing in Bodfari to remain recommending a chancel search and or chancel repair liability insurance.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Bodfari with the aim of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Bodfari can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers’ representatives.
If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Arranging a replacement share certificate can be a time consuming formality and slows down many a Bodfari home move. If a new share certificate is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible. You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but you should double-check via your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is under 80 years. It is therefore important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Bodfari leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. If you dont have the consents in place you should not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer before hand. If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as over rather than unresolved.

Bodfari Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

It is important to be aware whether redecorating or some other significant cost is anticipated to be shared by the tenants and could well materially increase the the service charges or necessitate a one time invoice. How long is the Lease? Who manages the block?