As someone unfamiliar with the Bournemouth conveyancing process what’s the number one tip you can impart concerning the ownership transfer in Bournemouth

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Bournemouth and elsewhere in Dorset is often a confrontational experience. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there exists an abundance of opportunity for confrontation between you and other parties involved in the transaction. For instance, the seller, estate agent and on occasion your bank. Selecting a lawyer for your conveyancing in Bournemouth should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the process whose responsibility is to act in your best interests and to protect you.

Every so often a potential adversary will attempt to sway you that it is in your interests to do things their way. For instance, the selling agent may claim to be helping by claiming that your solicitor is dragging his heels. Or your financial adviser may advise you to do something that is contrary to your conveyancers advice. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

Will my solicitor be raising questions about flooding during the conveyancing in Bournemouth.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers conducting conveyancing in Bournemouth. Plenty of people will buy a house in Bournemouth, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous searches that can be carried out by the buyer or by their solicitors which should figure out the risks in Bournemouth. The conventional set of property information forms given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a standard inquiry of the vendor to find out whether the premises has ever been flooded. If the premises has been flooded in past and is not notified by the seller, then a purchaser could commence a compensation claim as a result of such an inaccurate response. A buyer’s conveyancers should also conduct an enviro search. This should reveal if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries will need to be initiated.

Me and my brother have a terraced Victorian property in Bournemouth. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Santander. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching address. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Bournemouth and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the work.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Bournemouth is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Bournemouth are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Bournemouth you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Bournemouth may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor for sale conveyancing in Bournemouth. I happened to land on a site which looks to be the ideal offering If there is a chance to get all formalities completed via email that would be ideal. Do I need to be concerned? What should out be looking out for?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?