I am acquiring a property without a mortgage in Westcombe Park. I have lived for the previous dozen years in Westcombe Park. Conveyancing searches are a lot of money. As I have knowledge of the area and road intimately should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?

In the absence of a mortgage, then the vast majority of the Westcombe Park conveyancing searches are optional. Your conveyancer will try and steer you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but she is duty bound to do this. Do take into account; if you are going to dispose of the house one day, it may be of importance to your future purchaser what the searches determine. There are plenty of instances where houses with apparent issues can still show up detrimental search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Westcombe Park will be able to give you some constructive advice here.

We're in Westcombe Park, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is HSBC , and our lawyer is on the HSBC conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the HSBC conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancing practitioner should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

Will my solicitor be asking questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Westcombe Park.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for conveyancers dealing with homes in Westcombe Park. Some people will acquire a property in Westcombe Park, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, suitable building insurance, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that may be carried out by the buyer or by their conveyancers which can give them a better understanding of the risks in Westcombe Park. The conventional set of information sent to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a usual question of the owner to discover whether the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not notified by the owner, then a purchaser may commence a legal claim for losses stemming from an incorrect answer. The buyer’s solicitors should also carry out an enviro search. This should disclose whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be carried out.

I'm converting the mortgage on my current home to a buy to let loan with Godiva Mortgages Ltd and I will use the rest of the raised equity as a deposit on a second property. The location we are talking about is Westcombe Park. Will your lawyers be able to act for both sets of lenders and tie in the transactions?

Do use our search tool on this site to check that the solicitors are approved by both lenders. On the basis that they are the conveyancer will be able to tie up the two transactions but you should talk with you solicitor and make clear your desired outcome and requirements.

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Westcombe Park. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they are sending me a report on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Westcombe Park should include some of the following:

You need to be advised what constitutes a Nuisance as far as the lease is concerned Where does the liability rest for maintaining the window frames Details of the parties to the lease, e.g. these could be the lessee, superior lessor, freeholder Changes to the premises The unexpired lease term. You should receive guidance as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such issues? Can you recommend a Westcombe Park conveyancing firm to assist?

Where there is a missing landlord or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to arrive at the premium.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Westcombe Park property is 73 Walerand Road in August 2012. the result of the findings of the Tribunal led to a premium to be paid for the extended lease in respect of Flat 73 in the sum of £10,040. The premium applicable in respect of Flat 85 was £5,710. This case related to 2 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 72 years.