I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and have to be out of my rented apartment in Pontardawe by 3/12/2025. Conveyancing for my house purchase is underway. How realistic is it to complete in 4 weeks as I wish to avoid having to find temporary accommodation?

The normal practice is not to provide notice on a rental until you have exchanged. If you have not previously done so, contact to your conveyancer and urge them to they apply pressure on the other lawyers, try to an acceptable time-line that all parties will look to achieve

I am purchasing a house and require a conveyancing solicitor in Pontardawe who is on the Barclays Direct conveyancing. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Barclays Direct in certain locations such as Pontardawe. We dont recommend any particular firm.

We are purchasing a victorian detached house in Pontardawe. We would like to convert the garage to a playroom at the house.Will legal due diligence on the property include enquiries to ascertain if these works were previously refused?

Your conveyancer will check the deeds as conveyancing in Pontardawe will on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which prevent categories of works or necessitated the consent of another owner. Certain works call for local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Pontardawe. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. HSBC have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

As you are obtaining a mortgage with HSBC your lawyer must comply with the formal instructions contained in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for HSBC. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to HSBC where a lease fails to comply with these provisions. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not limited to Pontardawe.

Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Pontardawe solicitor - who is on the TSB conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

TSB will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually TSB will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your solicitor will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Pontardawe postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with TSB, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Pontardawe.

I am buying a new build apartment in Pontardawe. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Pontardawe

Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? 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. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore.

I am looking for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Pontardawe I like with open areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it only has 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Pontardawe suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.