Will our conveyancer be raising enquiries regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Deal.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers carrying out conveyancing in Deal. Some people will purchase a house in Deal, fully aware 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, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that may be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Deal. The conventional set of property information forms supplied to a buyer’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) includes a usual inquiry of the owner to find out whether the property has historically flooded. If the residence has been flooded in past and is not notified by the owner, then a buyer may issue a compensation claim resulting from an misleading answer. A purchaser’s solicitors may also conduct an environmental search. This will disclose if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations should be initiated.

I have recentlyfound out that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Deal for a purchase of a freehold house 18 months ago. How can I check that my home is not still registered in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest method to see if the premises is in your name, you can carry out 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 Deal conveyancing specialists.

About to purchase a new build flat in Deal. Conveyancing is daunting 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.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Deal

The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided.

I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Deal ahead of appointing conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. The surveyor has said that some mortgage companies tend refuse to give a mortgage on a flying freehold premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can investigate further with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Deal. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Deal especially if they are familiar with such properties in Deal.

Completion is due on our sale of a £450,000 apartment in Deal next week. The management company has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Deal?

Deal conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually involves the buyer’s lawyer sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address such questions the majority will be content to do so. They are at liberty to levy a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is above £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Deal, conveyancing was carried out in 2006. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Deal with over 90 years remaining are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2084

With 59 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £20,900 and £24,200 plus legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.