I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and must vacate my rented apartment in Moreton by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase is progressing. How realistic is it to complete in 4 weeks as don't want to have to move into short term accommodation?

It is unwise to serve notice for your tenancy until exchange of contracts has taken place. If you have not previously done so, speak to your lawyer and urge them to they cajole the sellers solicitors, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will aim to achieve

Should my lawyer be raising enquiries about flooding during the conveyancing in Moreton.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Moreton. Plenty of people will buy a house in Moreton, completely expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Solicitors are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous searches that may be undertaken by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Moreton. The standard completed inquiry forms supplied to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual inquiry of the vendor to discover whether the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred which is not revealed by the vendor, then a purchaser could bring a legal claim for losses resulting from an incorrect response. The purchaser’s solicitors may also order an enviro search. This should indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries will need to be initiated.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one close by in Moreton I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Moreton in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage that many years will be an issue. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.

My father-in-law has recommend that I use his conveyancing solicitors in Moreton. Should I choose my own property lawyer?

Much as we are happy to recommend a Moreton conveyancing lawyer the ideal way to find a conveyancing lawyer is to have referrals from friends or relatives who have actually used the conveyancer you're are thinking of instructing.

I have been informed by numerous estate agents to expect up to two months for Moreton conveyancing to complete.This was four weeks ago. The paperwork was only forwarded from the vendors lawyer a few days ago so now does it countdown?

You need to be realistic concerning timescales. Property transactions in Moreton takes on average about ten weeks. This timeframe is not because property lawyer are slow and willfully delay matters. The amount of money involved in buying any property is so high, the buyer’s conveyancer needing to carry out a whole range of queries, searches and further checks to protect the buyer and their mortgage company (if there is to be a mortgage) from expensive, avoidable problems. These checks involves getting information from various third parties, for example other property lawyer, local councils, private companies, mortgage companies. Some of these are efficient. Others aren't. Finally, it doesn't matter how quickly your solicitor do their job, if the people you are buying from or are selling to aren't ready, nothing can go ahead until they are.