Will my conveyancer be raising questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in West London.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers dealing with homes in West London. Some people will buy a property in West London, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that can be carried out by the buyer or by their solicitors which should give them a better appreciation of the risks in West London. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms given to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual inquiry of the owner to discover whether the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the premises has been flooded in past which is not notified by the owner, then a purchaser could bring a claim for damages as a result of such an inaccurate answer. A buyer’s conveyancers should also conduct an environmental search. This should reveal whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations will need to be initiated.

I purchased my home on 16 July and my personal details are still not registered. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in West London said it should be formalised inside ten days. Are titles in West London uniquely lengthy to register?

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in West London registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can differ according to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry communicate with any 3rd parties. At present in the region of 80% of such applications are completed within two weeks but occasionally there can be extensive delays. Historically registration is effected after the purchaser is living at the property so post completion formalities is not typically an essential issue yet if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your solicitor could speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.

What does commercial conveyancing in West London cover?

Commercial conveyancing in West London covers a wide array of services, provided by qualified solicitors, relating to business property. By way of example, this area of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the transfer of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial loans and the termination of tenancies.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in West London. Conveyancing and Clydesdale mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in West London who previously acted has long since retired. What should I do?

First contact HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a West London conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without any joy. Can one make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a West London conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?

in cases where there is a missing freeholder or if there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the LVT to judgment on the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a West London residence is 137 & 139 Haberdasher Street in December 2013. The Tribunal determines in accordance with section 48 and Schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 that the premium for the extended lease for each Property should be £12,350.00. This case was in relation to 2 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 72.39 years.

I am short of a 10% deposit on my apartment purchase in West London , but I still want to go ahead. Do I have options?

One option is to try and accept a lesser deposit. Most property owners will agree to a lesser deposit or even no deposit for a first time buyer or 100% mortgage. Be aware though that if you fail to complete you will still need to hand over a minimum of 10% of the purchase price regardless of how much deposit was agreed.

You can also agree a simultaneous exchange and completion as no deposit is required for this however neither party will be tied in until completion actually takes place and it can be risky if sellers change their mind at the last second