My wife and I are intent on selling our house in Little Mill and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. A local conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers are using a national conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Little Mill. Having lived in Little Mill for three years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to seek confirmation that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. What do they say? You should 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 sickness)

I am buying a new build flat in Little Mill. Conveyancing is daunting 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 legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Little Mill

Please supply a car parking plan. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. 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. 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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Little Mill is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Little Mill are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Little Mill you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Little Mill may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

Am I better off to choose a Little Mill conveyancing solicitor in close proximity to the house I am hoping to buy? We have a good friend who can perform the conveyancing but his firm is located 200miles drive away.

The primary upside of using a local Little Mill conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to execute documents, deliver your identification documents and apply pressure on them where appropriate. They will also have local intelligence which is a bonus. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have instructed your friend and they were content that should surpass using an unfamiliar Little Mill conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being based in the area.

I am looking at a couple of apartments in Little Mill which have in the region of 50 years remaining on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Little Mill is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the premises. For most purchasers and lenders, leases with less than eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Little Mill conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Little Mill - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

The answer will be useful as a) areas could result in problems for the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate where repairs remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the running of the building you will want to know about it Is the freehold owned jointly by the tenants? Please tell me if there are any major works anticipated that will likely increase the service costs?