My friend advised me that if I am purchasing in Sparkhill I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is usually included in the estimate for your Sparkhill conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Sparkhill around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Sparkhill Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Sparkhill.

The deeds to my property are lost. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Sparkhill 5 years ago are no longer around. What are my options?

These day there are duplicates made of almost everything, and your solicitor will be aware precisely where to look for all the relevant documentation so you can purchase or sell your property without any difficulty. Where duplicates are not available, your conveyancer can arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities protecting you against possible claims on the property.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Sparkhill. Conveyancing is necessary evil 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 conveyancing.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Sparkhill

Please supply a car parking plan. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. 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.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Sparkhill I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Sparkhill for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

Are the Sparkhill conveyancing lawyers identified as being on the bank conveyancing panel, together with their details provided by the mortgage company?

Sparkhill law firm practices and firms conducting conveyancing in Sparkhill themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from the lender directly.