We are planning on selling our home in Bishops Stortford and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers are using an online conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Bishops Stortford. Having lived in Bishops Stortford for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to seek clarification need.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. What do they say? You need to enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build apartment in Bishops Stortford. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Bishops Stortford

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Please supply a car parking plan.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one close by in Bishops Stortford I like with a park and station nearby, however it's only got 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in Bishops Stortford in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?

Should you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be problematic. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

Is it best to choose a Bishops Stortford conveyancing lawyer who is local to the property I am hoping to buy? An old friend can perform the conveyancing however they are based approximately 350kilometers drive away.

The primary upside of using a high street Bishops Stortford conveyancing firm is that you can visit the firm to execute documents, present your ID and apply pressure on them where appropriate. They will also have local insight which is a plus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have used your friend and on the whole were content that should outweigh using an unknown Bishops Stortford conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being based in the area.

What are my options where I am unhappy with the who undertook my conveyancing in Bishops Stortford?

We live in an imperfect world, and is is a fact of life that sometimes matters do not go as planned. That being said there is recourse if you were not happy with your conveyancing in Bishops Stortford. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a to their governing body. If things still aren’t sorted out you may consider getting in touch with the Legal Ombudsman.