My wife and I are buying a property in Curdworth. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a solicitor? On completion day we have to deposit our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

There is lots of information on this site about conveyancing in Curdworth but what is your top tip for selecting the right conveyancer in Curdworth

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Curdworth conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

My wife and I are at the point of looking at flats in Curdworth and I am about to put in an offer. Should I already have a property lawyer appointed at this point? I will be getting a home loan with Skipton.

You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the EA. Given that you are seeking a mortgage with Skipton, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel.

A relative suggested that where I am buying in Curdworth I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Curdworth conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing significant information about Curdworth around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Curdworth Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Curdworth.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Curdworth. 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 conveyancing.

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

Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and identified one close by in Curdworth I like with open areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Curdworth suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you may ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Curdworth conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Curdworth conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Curdworth conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be useful:

Can they put you in touch with clients in Curdworth who can give a testimonial? What are the costs for lease extension work?

Leasehold Conveyancing in Curdworth - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Does the lease include onerous restrictions? Best to be warned whether a new roof is being installed or some other significant cost is anticipated to be shared amongst the leaseholders and will materially impact the level of the service fees or require a one time payment. Who takes charge for maintaining and repairing the building?