Due to complete my purchase in Wiltshire next Monday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the bank. What risks does the bank expect the insurance 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 instructions. These obligations are not limited to conveyancing in Wiltshire.

My wife and I are buying a property in Wiltshire. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? On completion day we will need to put money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our monies?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We are purchasing a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Wiltshire. The intention is to convert the garage to a playroom at the property.Will legal work on the property include enquiries to determine if these alterations are allowed?

Your solicitor will review the deeds as conveyancing in Wiltshire will occasionally identify restrictions in the title deeds which prevent categories of changes or necessitated the permission of another owner. Many additions need local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Some locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be wise to check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

I am purchasing a property in Wiltshire. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender TSB be concerned?

Given that your lender is TSB your lawyer must check the conveyancing instructions contained in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for TSB. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and property lawyers are required to report to TSB where a lease does not satisfy these specifications. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not isolated to Wiltshire.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £305k and found one near me in Wiltshire I like with a park and station nearby, however it's only got 51 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Wiltshire for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my grandfather I am selling a residence in Neath but reside in Wiltshire. My solicitor (based 260 kilometers from mehas requested that I sign a stat dec before completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Wiltshire to attest this legal document for me?

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

What makes a Wiltshire lease unacceptable for security purposes?

Leasehold conveyancing in Wiltshire is not unique. All leases are individual and drafting errors can result in certain provisions are not included. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You may encounter a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Lloyds TSB Bank, Coventry Building Society, and Aldermore all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

I own a 2 bed flat in Wiltshire, conveyancing formalities finalised 10 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Wiltshire with over 90 years remaining are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease finishes on 21st October 2089

You have 65 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £13,300 and £15,400 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.