A relative recommended that where I am buying in Grappenhall I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Grappenhall conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Grappenhall around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Grappenhall.

I purchased a 4 bedroom Edwardian property in Grappenhall. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Nottingham Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Grappenhall and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the position with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the conveyancing.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Grappenhall. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Grappenhall

Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Please supply a car parking plan. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. 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.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my aunt I am disposing of a house in Neath but reside in Grappenhall. My lawyer (approximately 250 kilometers from meneeds me to sign a statutory declaration prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing practitioner in Grappenhall to witness this legal document for me?

strictly speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are located in Grappenhall

We are thinking of instructing an online property lawyer rather than a Grappenhall conveyancing firm. Should I ‘stay local’?

Numerous benefits exist in being able to visit a local Grappenhall conveyancing solicitor for example

• signing documents same day
• having face-to-face explanations of things that you need help with
• the ability to complain if matters are not going as expected

When checking estimates, look out for hidden extras. The majority decent Grappenhall high street solicitors give an all-inclusive price. Often online companies seem to offer cheap prices, yet have hidden 'extras' in the in the terms and conditions.