Will our conveyancer be raising enquiries concerning flooding as part of the conveyancing in St Margarets.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in St Margarets. There are those who buy a property in St Margarets, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that may be carried out by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better understanding of the risks in St Margarets. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms sent to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a usual inquiry of the seller to find out whether the property has ever been flooded. If the residence has been flooded in past and is not revealed by the vendor, then a purchaser may issue a legal claim for losses stemming from an inaccurate answer. A purchaser’s solicitors will also order an enviro search. This will indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations will need to be initiated.

I'm buying a new build house in St Margarets benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The sale representative advised me not reveal to my solicitor about this deal as it may affect my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. St Margarets is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can give?

Flying freeholds in St Margarets are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside St Margarets you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in St Margarets may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

Given that I am about to part with over three hundred thousand on a terraced house in St Margarets I would like to talk to a conveyancer about myhome move before giving the go ahead to the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

Absolutely - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the lawyer due to be conducting your conveyancing in St Margarets.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique individual, not a file reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for your conveyancing in St Margarets should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor flat in St Margarets. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have recently received a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice as usual as all rents and maintenance payments will be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in St Margarets, conveyancing was carried out 3 years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in St Margarets with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease terminates on 21st October 50

With 50 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £36,100 and £41,800 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.