I am getting a offer of a home loan from Santander. I hope to employ the services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Gloucester. Does the Santander Solicitor panel include Licensed Conveyancers?

The Santander approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, associated to the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

I am purchasing a property for cash in Gloucester. I have been living for the last twelve years in Gloucester. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. Given that I know the area and road very well must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a mortgage, then the vast majority of the Gloucester conveyancing searches are at your discretion. Your solicitor will 'advise', no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches done, but he has a professional duty to do this. Do take into account; if you are intend to dispose of the house one day, it will likely be be of importance to your prospective buyer what the searches contain. Sometimes properties with day to day issues can still show up adverse search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Gloucester will be able to give you some helpful guidance here.

I am assisting my niece sell her flat in Gloucester. Does the solicitor order an energy performance certificate or should I organise this?

After the demise of Home Packs, EPC’s was left as a compulsory component of selling a property. An energy assessment needs to be commissioned prior to the property being placed on the market. This is not something that law firms normally organise. Where you are instructing a Gloucester conveyancing practitioner they may be willing to arrange energy performance certificates due to their relationships with reputable Gloucester assessors

Can you point me to a directory of Yorkshire BS panel conveyancers in Gloucester on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such directory service on the CML or Building Society Association sites. A small selection of lenders make their panel listings available over the internet. Where you are in need of a Gloucester property lawyer on the Yorkshire BS please make the most of our facility.

I currently have a mortgage with Kent Reliance for my property in Gloucester. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Kent Reliance?

Kent Reliance must be informed of your intention in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Kent Reliance’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Kent Reliance will allow you to rent 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 Kent Reliance directly. You need not do this via a Kent Reliance conveyancing panel firm.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Gloucester. 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 are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Gloucester

Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. 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. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

My partner has suggested that I use his lawyers for conveyancing in Gloucester. Should I use them?

No doubt the ideal way to select a conveyancing lawyer is to have guidance from friends or family who have experience in using the solicitor that you are are thinking of instructing.