My wife and I have recently acquired a house in Hampshire. We have noticed several issues with the property which we believe were omitted in the conveyancing searches. What action can we take? Can you clarify the type of searches that should have been ordered as part of conveyancing in Hampshire?

It is not clear from the question as to the nature of the problems and if they are specific to conveyancing in Hampshire. Conveyancing searches and investigations undertaken as part of the buying process are carried out to help avoid problems. As part of the process, a seller completes a document called a Seller’s Property Information Form. answers is incorrect, then you may have a claim against the owner for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Hampshire.

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Hampshire? What am I being asked for?

Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering regulations require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the ID of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing retainer. The Terms of Engagement that you are required to sign should confirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. Should you are unwilling to provide ID verification documents, your lawyer will not be able to take you on as a client.

When it comes to lenders such as Co-operative, do Hampshire solicitors have to pay a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any mortgage company fees to be on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Hampshire. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Bank of Ireland be concerned?

Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Bank of Ireland your lawyer must check the conveyancing instructions contained in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Bank of Ireland. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook sets out minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to Bank of Ireland where a lease fails to meet these specifications. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not limited to Hampshire.

Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Hampshire. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.

I used Stirling Law a few years ago for my conveyancing in Hampshire. I now require my file but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing 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 Hampshire of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Hampshire. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Hampshire should include some of the following:

You need to be advised what counts as a Nuisance as far as the lease is concerned Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice? The physical ownership of the premises. This might be the flat itself but might incorporate a roof space or cellar if relevant. Details of the parties to the lease, for instance these could be the leaseholder, head lessor, freeholder You should know if the lease allows you to change or upgrade anything in the property- you should be made aware as to whether it applies to all alterations or limited to structural alteration, and whether permission is required

I acquired a 1 bedroom flat in Hampshire, conveyancing formalities finalised 10 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable properties in Hampshire with a long lease are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2100

With just 75 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.