I am looking to buy a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Tongwynlais who is on the Godiva Mortgages Ltd solicitor. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Godiva Mortgages Ltd in certain locations such as Tongwynlais. We dont recommend any particular firm.

I'm buying my first flat in Tongwynlais benefiting from help to buy. The sellers refused to budge the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent told me not disclose to my conveyancer about this deal as it could affect my loan with Bank of Scotland. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.

Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Tongwynlais ahead of instructing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the property. Our surveyor advised that some banks may refuse to grant a loan on a flying freehold home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you contact us we can look into this further with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Tongwynlais. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for remortgage conveyancing in Tongwynlais. I have chance upon a site which appears to be the ideal solution If there is a chance to get all the legals done via phone that would be ideal. Should I be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Tongwynlais both have approximately forty five years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in Tongwynlais is a wasting asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the marketability of the property. For most purchasers and lenders, leases with under 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Tongwynlais conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Tongwynlais - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Who are the managing agents? You should be aware that where the lease has fewer than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the salability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your lender that they are content with residual term of the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will probably require a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this will be. For most Tongwynlaislease extensions you will need to own the residence for 24 months in order to be eligible to carry out a lease extension. The answer will be helpful as a) areas could result in problems in the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if services are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have a dispute with the running of the building you will want to have all the details