My wife and I buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Chard. The intention is to carry out a loft conversion at the house.Will legal due diligence on the property involve enquiries to determine if these works are allowed?

Your conveyancer should review the deeds as conveyancing in Chard can sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which restrict categories of alterations or need the consent of a 3rd party. Some additions call for local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Some locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Coventry BS, do Chard conveyancing practitioners incur an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any bank fees to register on their panel, although some do levy an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I have a mortgage with Kent Reliance for my property in Chard. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Kent Reliance?

Your original mortgage agreement with Kent Reliance will provide that you need their approval prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Kent Reliance’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Kent Reliance directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Kent Reliance conveyancing panel solicitor.

five months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in Chard concluded. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £200,000 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 residence 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.

Taking into account that I am about to spend over three hundred thousand on 3 bedroom house in Chard I would like to talk to a solicitor concerning theconveyancing prior to instructing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

This is something that we encourage - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the conveyancer due to be conducting your property ownership legalities in Chard.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important individual, not a case reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Chard should be the figure that you are charged.

I need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Chard for my remortgage. Is it possible to review a firm’s record with the profession’s regulator?

You can review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could recorded telephone calls for training requirements.

I own a leasehold flat in Chard. Conveyancing and Clydesdale mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in Chard who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Chard conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Chard Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

Are there any major works in the near future that could add a premium to the service fees? Does the lease include onerous restrictions? Where a Chard lease has fewer than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the value of the apartment. Check with your bank that they are content with remaining years on the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely have to extend the lease at some point and you need to have some idea of what this will be. Remember, in most cases you will need to own the premises for a couple of years before you are legally able to extend the lease.