I am hoping to move into my new home in Kilgetty next Thursday. 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 mortgage company. What does the insurance need 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 requirements are not limited to conveyancing in Kilgetty.

As a first time buyer what is the most important advice you can impart about purchase conveyancing in Kilgetty?

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Kilgetty and elsewhere in England and Wales is often a confrontational process. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there is plenty of room for conflict between you and others involved in the transaction. For example, the vendor, estate agent and sometimes a mortgage company. Choosing a lawyer for your conveyancing in Kilgetty is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE person in the legal process whose interest is to protect your legal interests and to keep you safe.

There is a definite increase of a "blame" culture- someone must be at fault for the process being so protracted. You your first instinct should be to trust your lawyer above the other parties when it comes to the legal assignment of property.

Can you help - my lawyer advises that chancel insurance is needed on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Kilgetty?

The right level of chancel indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between HSBC Bank and Skipton Building Society. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Kilgetty. I have a mortgage offer with Leeds Building Society. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Leeds Building Society, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel.

I currently have a mortgage with HSBC for my property in Kilgetty. Conveyancing has been completed 12 months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform HSBC?

You must advise HSBC in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of HSBC’s mortgage conditions. It may be that HSBC will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact HSBC directly. You need not do this via a HSBC conveyancing panel solicitor.

I used Stirling Law several years ago for my conveyancing in Kilgetty. I now require my file however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Kilgetty of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I am buying a new build apartment in Kilgetty. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Kilgetty

The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease.