The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Aberbargoed. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

I can not work out if my lender requires a lease extension. I have called my Aberbargoed bank branch on various occasions and was informed it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Aberbargoed conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they refuse to lend based on their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. I have no idea who is right.

Provided that the conveyancer is on the lender panel, they must follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook requirements for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in April 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Bank of Ireland are being a right pain. The Aberbargoed solicitor who is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Bank of Ireland are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Bank of Ireland have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Bank of Ireland have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Bank of Ireland may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I require expedited conveyancing in Aberbargoed as I am under pressure to sign on the dotted line within one month. Luckily I do not require a mortgage. Is it possible to escape the need for conveyancing searches to save money and time?

As you are are a mortgage free purchaser you have the choice not to have searches conducted although no conveyancer would recommend that you don't. With plenty of history conveyancing in Aberbargoed the following are examples of what can arise and adversely impact future mortgageability: Refused Planning Applications, Overdue Fees, Overdue Grants, Road Schemes,...

It has been 2 months following my purchase conveyancing in Aberbargoed completed. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £175,000 when infact I paid £160,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Aberbargoed I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, however it's only got 49 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Aberbargoed suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.

Last January I purchased a leasehold house in Aberbargoed. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Leasehold Conveyancing in Aberbargoed - Examples of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

Best to be warned if a new roof is being put on or some other significant cost is anticipated to be shared by the tenants and will dramatically impact the level of the service fees or necessitate a one time invoice. You will want to discover as much as you can regarding the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of other tenants if they are happy with them. On a final note, find out the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the relevant party and specifically what you get for your money.