What can a local search inform me about the house we're purchasing in Pentyrch?

Pentyrch conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company such as Xpress Legal The local search plays an important part in many a Pentyrch conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any unpleasant surprises after you move into your property. The search should reveal data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject areas.

My wife and I have a renovated Victorian house in Pentyrch. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Godiva Mortgages Ltd. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Pentyrch 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 check the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the work.

How do I identify a Pentyrch law firm on the Coventry Building Society conveyancing panel? I drive a motor bike and am happy to travel upto 20kilometers to meet the lawyer.

You can use the search on this website. Please pick a bank and your location and you will see a number of Pentyrch conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have detailed some Pentyrch conveyancing firms towards the end of this page and you can ring them to verify whether they are on the Coventry Building Society member panel

My husband and I are new to the buying process - agreed a price, but the agent told us that the vendor will only move forward if we instruct the agent's preferred conveyancers as they are insisting on a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a local conveyancer who is familiar with conveyancing in Pentyrch

It is highly unlikely the sellers are driving this. If they desire ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a serious buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Contact the owners directly and make sure they understand (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you are chain free (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you are going to use your preferred Pentyrch conveyancing firm - rather thanthose that will provide their estate agent a referral fee or meet his conveyancing thresholds pre-set by corporate headquarters.

I’m about to sell my ground floor flat in Pentyrch. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have recently received a quarterly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice as you normally would given that all ground rent and service payments should be allotted on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I bought a 2 bed flat in Pentyrch, conveyancing was carried out November 2008. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Pentyrch with an extended lease are worth £206,000. The ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2090

With only 66 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £11,400 and £13,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.