What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Leyland? Why is this being asked of me?

It is indeed that case that the requirement set out by your solicitor has nothing to do with conveyancing in Leyland. However these days you will not be able to complete any conveyancing process in the absence supplying proof of your identity. This usually takes the form of a either your passport or driving licence as well as a council tax bill. Please note that if you are supplying your driving licence as evidence of identification it needs to be both the paper part as well as the photo card part, one is not acceptable in the absence of the other.

Verification of the source of monies is required under Money Laundering Regulations. You should not be offended when when this is requested of you as your conveyancer will need to retain this information on file. Your Leyland conveyancing practitioner will require evidence of proof of funds before they are able to accept any money from you into their client account and they may also ask additional questions regarding the source of funds.

I have been told that property searches are a common reason for obstruction in Leyland conveyancing transactions. Is there any truth in this?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the top 10 causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Searches are not likely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in Leyland.

I am purchasing my first flat in Leyland with the aid of help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent advised me not to tell my solicitor about this deal as it will affect my mortgage with Clydesdale. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I own a leasehold house in Leyland. Conveyancing and Birmingham Midshires mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing solicitor in Leyland who previously acted has long since retired. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Leyland conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Leyland Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

How much is the yearly service fee and ground rent? It would be wise to find out as much as possible regarding the company managing the building as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day matters like the upkeep of the common parts. Ask other tenants if they are happy with them. On a final note, be sure you discover the dates that the service fees are due to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. It is important to be aware if redecorating or some other major work is anticipated to be shared by the leaseholders and may well materially impact the level of the service charges or necessitate a specific payment.

What do I do if I am dissatisfied with the conveyancing practitioner who did our conveyancing in Leyland?

Occasionally the level of service you receive is not as you expect, and unfortunately sometimes things do go wrong. Nevertheless there is recourse if you were unhappy with your conveyancing in Leyland. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a lawyer to their governing body. If you remain dissatisfied you may consider enlisting the help of the Legal Ombudsman.