Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Tilbury. Conveyancing is required. What are my next steps?

Given that you are now legally bound yourself to purchase you must appoint a conveyancing practitioner as a matter of priority as you are facing a fast approaching deadline in which to complete the purchase. An auction property should have a corresponding legal set of papers. This should include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the legal pack may contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to a leasehold property. You should give this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that you have funds organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

I currently have a mortgage with Yorkshire BS for my property in Tilbury. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Yorkshire BS?

Yorkshire BS must be informed of your intention prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Yorkshire BS’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Yorkshire BS will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Yorkshire BS directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel lawyer.

I can not fathom if my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Tilbury building society branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they will lend. My Tilbury conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called to say that they will not lend in accordance with their published requirements. Who do I believe?

The conveyancing practitioner must comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook Part 2 requirements for your bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

Will my conveyancer be asking questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Tilbury.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Tilbury. There are those who purchase a property in Tilbury, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Solicitors are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous searches that may be carried out by the buyer or by their solicitors which can give them a better understanding of the risks in Tilbury. The conventional set of property information forms sent to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard question of the vendor to find out if the property has ever been flooded. If the premises has been flooded in past and is not notified by the seller, then a buyer may commence a compensation claim resulting from an inaccurate response. A buyer’s solicitors should also conduct an environmental report. This should higlight if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations will need to be carried out.

I have been pointed in your direction by a few estate agents in Tilbury to choose a property lawyer using your seach tool. Is there a financial advantage for Estate Agents to market your site ahead of alternative conveyancing organisations?

We refuse to give any commission for directing people to this site. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as home movers will think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

As co-executor for the will of my father I am selling a property in Monmouth but I am based in Tilbury. My conveyancer (based 235 kilometers from merequires that I execute a statutory declaration prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Tilbury to witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you should not need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are based in Tilbury

My parents are having problems in finding their Tilbury property on the HM Land Registry online search facility. They have a vague recollection back in the 60’s when they acquired the bungalow there were complications concerning the post code not being recognised in some systems.

Nearly all premises in Tilbury should show up. Have you tried a search to just the postcode. Usually it will disclose all the houses and flats inside the postcode. Where recorded it will show up with a title number. Where they bought back in the 60’s it's conceivable it may be not yet registered. The property may still be revealed but with the title number identified as 'na'. In this scenario you will need to locate the original title papers which could be with your parent’s mortgage company.