I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and have to be out of my let out property in Caldicot by the end of next month. Conveyancing on my purchase has just started. Is it possible to complete in 5 weeks as don't want to have to move into short term accommodation?

The normal practice is not to serve notice for your lease until your lawyer suggests that you should. If you have not already done so, notify to your solicitor and ask them to they cajole the sellers solicitors, try to get a realistic time scale from them that everyone will look to achieve

Will my conveyancer be making enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Caldicot.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Caldicot. Some people will buy a property in Caldicot, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous checks that may be undertaken by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Caldicot. The conventional set of information given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual question of the seller to find out whether the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the residence has been flooded in past and is not revealed by the vendor, then a buyer could bring a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading answer. The buyer’s lawyers should also order an environmental report. This should indicate if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries will need to be conducted.

About to purchase a new build flat in Caldicot. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Caldicot

The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose?

I am looking for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and found one near me in Caldicot I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, however it's only got 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Caldicot for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term may be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you could 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 with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

Am I better off to go with a Caldicot conveyancing lawyer who is local to the property I am buying? An old friend can handle the legal formalities however her office is 300kilometers drive away.

The benefit of a high street Caldicot conveyancing firm is that you can drop in to sign documents, hand in your identification documents and pester them if necessary. Having local Caldicot know how 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 instructed your friend and they were happy that must trump using an unfamiliar Caldicot conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being round the corner.