Due to complete my purchase in St Mellons next Friday. My property lawyer now wants me to supply her with proof of content and building insurance for the property as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the mortgage company. What does the insurance need to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for mortgage companies would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. These obligations are not limited to conveyancing in St Mellons.

We wish to acquire a newbuild flat in St Mellons with a homeloan from Aldermore.We would like to retain our St Mellons conveyancing solicitor but Aldermore says her practice is not on their approved list of member firms. It seems we are left with little choice but to instruct a Aldermore panel firm or retain our local solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The home loan issued to you contains terms and conditions, a common one being that solicitors needs to be on the Aldermore approved list. Until recently, most mortgage companies had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Aldermore

Is it necessary to pay for insurance to cover chancel repairs when acquiring a property in St Mellons?

Unless a prior acquisition of the premises completed post 12 October 2013 you could assume that conveyancing practitioners handling conveyancing in St Mellons to continue to recommend a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I have been pointed in your direction by numerous estate agents in St Mellons to find a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to market your services over and above another?

We don’t give any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers to this site. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

Back In 2003, I bought a leasehold house in St Mellons. Conveyancing and Aldermore mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in St Mellons who previously acted has long since retired. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a St Mellons conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

St Mellons Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

It is important to be aware whether window replacement or some other significant cost is coming up to be shared by the tenants and may well materially increase the the service charges or require a one time invoice. How much is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the property? The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the tenants have being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is often retained if the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders.