This question may be naive but I am wet behind the ears as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Winnersh. Do I receive the keys to the property on completion from my lawyer? If so, I will use a local conveyancing solicitor in Winnersh?

On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in Winnersh. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the purchase money to the owner’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be invited to receive the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this occurs between 1 and 3pm.

A relative informed me that in buying a property in Winnersh there may be a number of restrictions preventing external alterations to the property. Is this right?

There are a number of properties in Winnersh which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Winnersh should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

We expect to receive a AIP from this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do recommend any Winnersh solicitors on the conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Winnersh solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and through the process.

Should commercial conveyancing searches disclose proposed roadworks that could impact a commercial premises in Winnersh?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Winnersh will order a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers expend in looking into accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Winnersh. The report provides definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Winnersh.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Winnersh it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately could cause delays to Winnersh commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not ordered for residential conveyancing in Winnersh.

My wife and I have a semi-detached Georgian house in Winnersh. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and . I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the matching address. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Winnersh and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.

I decided to have a survey completed on a house in Winnersh ahead of appointing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. The surveyor advised that some mortgage companies tend not give a mortgage on such a property.

It varies from the lender to lender. Bank of Scotland has different requirements from Nationwide. 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 assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Winnersh. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I have recently realised that I have Fifty years remaining on my lease in Winnersh. I am keen to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What are my options?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the lessor. In some cases an enquiry agent should be helpful to carry out a search and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on proving the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Winnersh.

Winnersh Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask before buying

It is important to be aware if redecorating or some other major work is pending to be shared by the leasehold owners and may well dramatically impact the level of the maintenance charges or necessitate a specific invoice. The majority of Winnersh leasehold properties will incur a service bill for the upkeep of the block invoiced on behalf of the freeholder. Should you buy the flat you will have to pay this contribution, normally periodically throughout the year. This could vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large communal areas. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge to be met yearly, normally this is not a significant amount, say approximately £50-£100 but you need to enquire as on occasion it could be many hundreds of pounds. How much is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the property?