Last January we completed a house move in Bredbury. We have since encountered a number of issues with the property which we believe were missed in the conveyancing searches. What action can we take? Can you clarify the type of searches that should have been ordered as part of conveyancing in Bredbury?

The query is not clear as what problems have arisen and if they are relate to conveyancing in Bredbury. Conveyancing searches and investigations initiated during the buying process are supposed to help avoid problems. As part of the legal transfer of property, a seller completes a document called a SPIF. If the information provided is misleading, you may have a misrepresentation claim against the owner for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Bredbury.

Is there a reason why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Bredbury is more expensive?

The conveyancing charges on a leasehold premises in Bredbury is often greater than on a freehold residence. This is due to the extra work necessary in corresponding with the landlord and managing agents to collate the information about whether the rent and maintenance charges have been discharged and whether there are any large sums expected to be spent in the near future on repairs or maintenance of the building.

There are plenty of conveyancing solicitors in Bredbury but how do I know who's good?

It would be unwise to be tempted by the cheapest Bredbury conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

I have been advised by my conveyancer that chancel insurance is required on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Bredbury?

The appropriate level of chancel indemnity insurance depends on your lender. It would differ for example between National Westminster Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to members of the public take out such insurances.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Bredbury off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Nationwide. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use 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 Nationwide, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our home can not be found. The conveyancers who handled the conveyancing in Bredbury 5 years ago are no longer around. What do I do?

Assuming the title is registered the details of your ownership will be retained by HMLR under a Title Number. It is easy to perform a search at the Land Registry, find your property and secure up to date copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. If the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will in most cases retain a file duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be retrieved for twenty pounds.

Completion is due on the sale of our £250,000 maisonette in Bredbury next Monday. The freeholder has quoted £348 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Bredbury?

For most leasehold sales in Bredbury conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

Addressing pre-exchange questions Where consent is required before sale in Bredbury Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Bredbury leasehold premises is £350. For Bredbury conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide the information.

Bredbury Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

What is the yearly service fee and ground rent? How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? How long is the Lease?