Recently been in touch with my conveyancing solicitor in Dorridge who conducted the legals two years ago and wanted a conveyancing costs illustration based on an identical type of house move (a leasehold property and a freehold premises) of similar values with a home loan from The Mortgage Works. It looks as though am now being quoted twice the amount. Should I look for a cheaper internet conveyancer?

The estimate fees seem a little high. If you are prepared to spend time scrutinising prices you may be able to shave off some of the expense by perhaps £100 plus VAT. That being said, assuming were pleased with the conveyancing the firm provided you maylive to rue choosing an a cheaper lawyer. Remember to ensure that the conveyancer can act for The Mortgage Works. You can employ our search tool to find a Dorridge conveyancing firm on the The Mortgage Works approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Dorridge.

It is a dozen years since I acquired my home in Dorridge. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been appointed on the sale but I am unable to track down the deeds. Will this jeopardise the sale?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be retained by the mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who handled the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Dorridge involves registered property but in the rare situation where your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

Should our lawyer be asking questions concerning flooding as part of the conveyancing in Dorridge.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers dealing with homes in Dorridge. Plenty of people will purchase a house in Dorridge, 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 obtain a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that can be undertaken by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better understanding of the risks in Dorridge. The standard property information forms supplied to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a standard inquiry of the owner to find out whether the premises has suffered from flooding. If the property has been flooded in past which is not revealed by the seller, then a purchaser may commence a legal claim for losses stemming from an misleading reply. The purchaser’s conveyancers should also commission an enviro report. This will disclose if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations should be conducted.

I used Wolstenholmes a few years ago for my conveyancing in Dorridge. Now, I need the files but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Dorridge of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

As co-executor for the will of my grandmother I am selling a residence in Neath but reside in Dorridge. My conveyancer (who is 260 kilometers from mehas requested that I execute a stat dec ahead of the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Dorridge to attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are located in Dorridge