Should our solicitor be raising enquiries concerning flooding as part of the conveyancing in Gnosall.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers conducting conveyancing in Gnosall. Some people will buy a house in Gnosall, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that can be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Gnosall. The standard completed inquiry forms supplied to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a standard question of the owner to determine whether the property has historically flooded. In the event that flooding has previously occurred which is not notified by the vendor, then a purchaser may bring a compensation claim as a result of such an incorrect answer. The buyer’s conveyancers may also conduct an enviro search. This will indicate whether there is any known flood risk. If so, further investigations should be carried out.

I used Stirling Law a few years past for my conveyancing in Gnosall. I now require my file but the law firm has closed. What do I do?

Do contact 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 Gnosall 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'm purchasing my first flat in Gnosall benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not move on the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The property agent advised me not reveal to my solicitor about the side-deal as it could impact my loan with Lloyds TSB Bank. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Gnosall is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can impart?

Flying freeholds in Gnosall are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Gnosall you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Gnosall may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

Do I stop the direct debit for my mortgage with Principality as soon as a completion date for my sale in Gnosall has been agreed?

You would be well advised to keep paying any mortgage sums to Principality until the mortgage is repaid out of the proceeds of sale as part of your Gnosall conveyancing.