My financial adviser says he needs my Somerset law firm’s panel member for the Nat West conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have e-mailed my local Somerset office but they have not responded to me.

You are best placed to get this information from your Somerset conveyancer . They keep a central record lender panel numbers.

Can I use your services to locate a Conveyancing solicitor in Somerset even where I’m not buying or disposing of a house, for instance if I wish to acquire a shop in Somerset with a mortgage from Chelsea Building Society?

The service is mainly utilised to locate residential conveyancing solicitors in Somerset but we have set out towards the end of this page a selection of Somerset commercial conveyancing firms. You should make contact with the firm directly to check if they can also act for Chelsea Building Society

My partner and I are close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our property in Somerset and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built land that was not decontaminated. Any high street Somerset conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers are using a factory type conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Somerset. We have lived in Somerset for three years we know of no issue. Should we contact our local Authority to get clarification need.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You must 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 life insurance to cover that same sickness)

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Somerset. Conveyancing is a frightening process 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 conveyancing.

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

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. 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. Please supply a car parking plan. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Somerset. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Somerset Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying

What is the name of the managing agents? How much is the ground rent and service charge? Its a good idea to discover as much as possible regarding the company managing the block as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you will be in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day matters such as the upkeep of the common parts. You should not be shy to ask other people what they think of them. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that the service fees are due to the relevant party and specifically what you get for your money.