I am helping my step-mother sell her flat in Frenchay. Will the solicitor arrange the energy performance certificate or it is for the owner to see to?

Following the demise of Home Packs, energy performance certificates was retained a required part of moving house. An EPC must be to hand in advance of the property being advertised. It is not a task that law firms ordinarily organise. Where you are using a Frenchay conveyancing practitioner they may be willing to arrange energy assessments given their relationships with long established local accredited person

How can we know in advance if a Frenchay conveyancing solicitor on the Clydesdale panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Frenchay getting recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always recommend that you speak with the lawyer conducting your conveyancing.

I can not fathom if my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have telephoned my Frenchay bank branch on various occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My Frenchay conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they will not lend based on their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the solicitor is on the bank approved list, they must adhere to the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

Various web forums that I have visited warn that are the primary reason for delay in Frenchay house deals. Is there any truth in this?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the most frequent causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Frenchay.

I'm buying my first flat in Frenchay benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my solicitor about this deal as it may impact my loan with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Frenchay for my house move. Can I see a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Members of the public may find presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from investigations from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's history, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded call for training reasons.

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Frenchay. Before diving in I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Frenchay - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Frenchay - Sample of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

What is the service charge and ground rent on the apartment? The prefered form of lease structure is where the freehold title is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this arrangement the leaseholders enjoy being in charge if their destiny and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently retained if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments?