I do hope you can help me. My Llansamlet lawyer is assuring me that he has toconduct Llansamlet conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the Virgin Moneyapproved lawyer panel. Is this really necessary?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are taking a mortgage with a bank your conveyancer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the CML Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Llansamlet conveyancing searches.

The Llansamlet conveyancing solicitors that I appointed last week on my house acquisition in Llansamlet have suddenly closed. I chose them because I needed a firm on the TSB conveyancing panel and my preferred Llansamlet lawyer was not. I paid them money in advance. What should be my next steps?

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the TSB conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to help.

Taking into account that I will soon part with hundreds of thousands of pounds on a house in Llansamlet I wish to talk to a lawyer concerning thetransaction before instructing the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we recommend - we would be pleased to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the solicitor who will be conducting your property ownership legalities in Llansamlet.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important individual, not a file number. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Llansamlet should be the figure that you end up paying.

I only have Sixty One years left on my lease in Llansamlet. I am keen to get lease extension but my landlord is can not be found. What should I do?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. In some cases a specialist may be helpful to try and locate and prepare an expert document which can be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer both on devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Llansamlet.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Llansamlet - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

Most Llansamlet leasehold properties will incur a service bill for maintenance of the building set on behalf of the landlord. Where you buy the flat you will have to pay this contribution, usually quarterly during the year. This may differ from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common grounds. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met annual, this is usually not a large amount, say about £50-£100 but you need to enquire it because occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds. What is the annual service fee and ground rent? The best form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the tenants benefit from control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is usually employed where it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.

There are a lot of houses in Llansamlet on private lanes. I am buying one such house. Are there any benefits to buying a house on a private road?

Llansamlet conveyancing practices are familiar with dealing propertieson unadopted roads. The property lawyer will investigate title to identify any rights or liabilities. In many cases there is a management company (wholly owned by residents) that proprietors make annual payments to maintain the road. Where there is one, the road will likely be maintained and appear better than publicly maintained.