My fiancee and I are buying our first house. Our conveyancer has e-mailedto check if we wish to take out extra conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's needed for conveyancing in Henllys

The range of Henllys conveyancing searches should be triggered based primarily on the premises, the location, the probability of any of these risks, your knowledge of the area and risks, your general appetite to risk. What is important is that you properly appreciate what information each search could supply. Then you can make a decision if you personally think you need that information. Should you be uncertain, ask your lawyer to provide guidance.

As a FTB what is the most important piece of guidance you can impart regarding purchase conveyancing in Henllys?

Not many law firms or advisers will tell you this but conveyancing in Henllys and elsewhere in Torfaen is often a confrontational process. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there is lots of opportunity for friction between you and other parties involved in the transaction. E.g., the vendor, selling agent and sometimes a mortgage company. Appointing a solicitor for your conveyancing in Henllys should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE person in the legal process whose responsibility is to act in your legal interests and to protect you.

There is a definite emergence in the "blame" culture- someone has to be blamed for the process being so protracted. You should always trust your solicitor above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

Taking into account that I will soon spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on 3 bedroom house in Henllys I would like to talk to a conveyancer regarding thehouse move prior to giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?

We could not agree more - we would be happy to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the solicitor due to be conducting your property ownership legalities in Henllys.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a matter number. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are provided with for residential conveyancing in Henllys should be the figure that you are charged.

My husband and I are new to the buying process - agreed a price, but the estate agent informed us that the seller will only proceed if we use the agent's chosen lawyers as they want an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family solicitor accustomed to conveyancing in Henllys

It is improbable the owners are driving this. Should the vendor require ‘a quick sale', alienating a genuine purchaser is counter productive. Bypass the agents and go straight to the owners and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you intend to instruct your own,trusted Henllys conveyancing solicitors - rather thanthe ones that will provide the negotiator at the agency a commission or achieve conveyancing thresholds pre-set by head office.

I have recently realised that I have Fifty years remaining on my flat in Henllys. I am keen to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to track down the lessor. On the whole a specialist would be useful to try and locate and to produce an expert document which can be used as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Henllys.

Henllys Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

What is the the remaining lease term? How much is the annual service fee and ground rent? The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this situation the tenants benefit from being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is often employed where it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.