Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as a 1st time purchaser of a garden flat in Frenchay Common. Do I collect the keys to the property on completion from my conveyancer? If this is the case, I will use a local conveyancing solicitor in Frenchay Common?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the completion advance to the vendor’s conveyancers, and once they have received this, you should be called to receive the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with RBS. Frenchay Common conveyancing lawyers were selected. How long does it take for RBS to issue the offer to the property lawyer?

There is no definitive answer here. Have RBS done the survey? Have you informed RBS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the RBS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I currently have a mortgage with Co-operative for my property in Frenchay Common. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Co-operative?

You must advise Co-operative before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Co-operative’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Co-operative will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Co-operative directly. You need not do this via a Co-operative conveyancing panel solicitor.

I am downsizing from our house in Frenchay Common and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed on contaminated land. A high street Frenchay Common conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed an online conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Frenchay Common. Having lived in Frenchay Common for three years we know of no issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to seek clarification need.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer already. Are they able to advise? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)

About to purchase a new build flat in Frenchay Common. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Frenchay Common

Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Please supply a car parking plan.

Last July I purchased a leasehold flat in Frenchay Common. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Frenchay Common Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before buying

Most Frenchay Common leasehold properties will have a service charge for the upkeep of the block invoiced on behalf of the landlord. If you acquire the flat you will have to meet this contribution, normally quarterly throughout the year. This can differ from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. There will also be a rentcharge to be met annual, normally this is not a significant sum, say approximately £25-£75 but you should to check as occasionally it could be surprisingly expensive. You should want to find out as much as you can about the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of other tenants what they think of them. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. Make sure you discover if the the lease contains any onerous restrictions in the lease. By way of example it is fairly common in Frenchay Common leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Frenchay Common. If you like the propertyin Frenchay Common however your cat is not allowed to make the move with you then you will be presented with a hard choice.

I have just become aware that one of the directors of the law firm undertaking the purchase conveyancing in Frenchay Common is an uncle of the seller. Is this allowed?

As long as no conflict arises this is allowable. Where you are obtaining a mortgage then the lender may have a say as many lenders have specific instructions concerning this. For example for Nationwide Building Society as of 14/11/2025, the requirements read as follows :