My relative recommended that where I am purchasing in Sherston I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Sherston conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Sherston around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Sherston Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Sherston.

I purchased my house on 9 March and the transaction details are still not on the land registry website. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in Sherston said it should be registered inside ten days. Are transfers in Sherston particularly slow to register?

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Sherston registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timeframes can differ subject to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry must send notices to any interested parties. Currently roughly three quarters of such applications are completed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be longer delays. Historically registration takes place after the buyer has moved in to the property so registration formalities is not always top priority but if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your solicitor could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one close by in Sherston I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, however it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Sherston suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you need a mortgage that many years will likely be problematic. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.

Is it possible to switch solicitor as I need to choose a firm on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. I was using a local conveyancing solicitor in Sherston round the corner but the firm is not accepted by Bank of Scotland

It would be our pleasure to assist you find a conveyancing solicitor in Sherston on the Bank of Scotland panel. Please note that the law firms that we on the directory do not pay us commission if you instruct them and are under regulation of the SRA who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Sherston. In making use of search facility on this website, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Sherston.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Sherston conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Sherston conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggest that you speak with several firms including non Sherston conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be useful:

How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?

Sherston Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

It is important to be aware whether changing the roof or some other significant cost is pending to be shared by the leasehold owners and will dramatically impact the level of the maintenance charges or necessitate a specific payment. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? What is the yearly service fee and ground rent?