Do I need to take out insurance to cover chancel repairs when purchasing a house in Kingsdown?

Unless a prior acquisition of the property took place after 12 October 2013 you can take it that solicitors handling conveyancing in Kingsdown to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

How does conveyancing in Kingsdown differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Kingsdown come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is finished. This is because builders in Kingsdown tend to acquire the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Kingsdown or who has acted in the same development.

Should I be concerned about 3rd parties that I am dealing with are suggesting a national conveyancing firm rather than a local Kingsdown conveyancing practice?

As is the case with lots of service providers, often referrals from connections can be very helpful. Nevertheless there are many people with a vested interest in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, mortgage brokers and lenders might all put forward solicitors to use. On occasion these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but sometimes there exists a commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You have the discretion to choose your own lawyer. You need to be aware that many lenders operate an approved list of lawyers you have to use for the lender aspect of your house move.

Am I better off to use a Kingsdown conveyancing practitioner who is local to the property I am buying? An old friend can perform the legal formalities but her office is 400miles away.

The primary upside of using a high street Kingsdown conveyancing firm is that you can drop in to execute paperwork, hand in your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. They will also have local knowledge which is a plus. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who used your friend and they were content that must surpass using an unknown Kingsdown conveyancing solicitor just because they are round the corner.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Kingsdown conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Kingsdown conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you talk with two or three firms including non Kingsdown conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be of use:

What are the costs for lease extension work?

Kingsdown Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Is there a share of the freehold? You should be aware that where the lease has less than 80 years it will affect the salability of the flat. It is worth checking with your lender that they are content with remaining years on the lease. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this would cost. Remember, in most cases you will be required to have been the owner of the premises for two years before you are eligible to extend the lease.