Should our lawyer be raising questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Biddulph.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Biddulph. Plenty of people will buy a property in Biddulph, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Lawyers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a number of searches that may be undertaken by the buyer or by their conveyancers which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Biddulph. The standard property information forms sent to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a usual inquiry of the vendor to find out whether the premises has suffered from flooding. If the premises has been flooded in past which is not revealed by the owner, then a buyer may issue a claim for damages as a result of such an inaccurate answer. A buyer’s solicitors will also commission an environmental search. This should higlight if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations should be made.

I have recentlybeen informed that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Biddulph for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 18 months ago. How can I check that my home is registered correctly in the name of the previous owner?

The easiest way to see if the premises is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Biddulph conveyancing specialists.

How does conveyancing in Biddulph differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Biddulph come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is constructed. This is because developers in Biddulph usually acquire the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Biddulph or who has acted in the same development.

I am using a search engine for the words on line conveyancing in Biddulph it reveals numerous solicitorslocally. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancing solicitor for my move?

The best method of choosing the right conveyancer is via personal testimonial, so ask friends and family who have bought a property in Biddulph or a local estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Biddulph differ, so it's a good idea to request at least four fee calculations from varying types of companies. Make sure that you clarify what costs in the quote includes.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Biddulph. Conveyancing and Nationwide Building Society mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing solicitor in Biddulph who previously acted has long since retired. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Biddulph conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. 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 am the registered owner of a garden flat in Biddulph, conveyancing having been completed 7 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Biddulph with a long lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2097

With 71 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.