Should our conveyancer be raising enquiries concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Vauxhall.
Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers conducting conveyancing in Vauxhall. There are those who purchase a property in Vauxhall, completely expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the buyer.
Solicitors are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that can be initiated by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which can figure out the risks in Vauxhall. The standard information given to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard question of the owner to determine whether the premises has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the owner, then a buyer could commence a claim for damages stemming from an inaccurate answer. A buyer’s lawyers may also conduct an environmental report. This should indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be carried out.
My wife and I own a 4 bedroom Georgian house in Vauxhall. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and National Westminster Bank. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Vauxhall and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also question the position with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the work.
How does conveyancing in Vauxhall differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Vauxhall approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is ready to move into. This is because new home sellers in Vauxhall tend to buy the real estate, 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Vauxhall or who has acted in the same development.
I was pointed in your direction by a few estate agents in Vauxhall to find a conveyancer on your site. What’s the financial inducement for Estate Agents to promote your site over and above a competitor’s?
We don’t give any commission for sending work to this site. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.
My step-father has encouraged me to appoint his conveyancers in Vauxhall. Should I find my own conveyancer?
Much as we are happy to recommend a Vauxhall conveyancing lawyer it’s preferable to choose a conveyancing practitioner is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually experience in using the solicitor that you are are thinking of instructing.
My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Vauxhall. I need to find out if they are on the bank's conveyancing panel. Can you help?
It’s a good idea phone the conveyancer and ask them if they are on the lender's panel. Alternatively please get in touch with us and we can make some checks for you. Should the firm not be on the bank panel we can certainly arrange a quality conveyancing solicitor in Vauxhall on the approved list for your lender.