It has come to my attention via my IFA that my Chippenham property lawyer is not on the mortgage company Conveyancing panel. What can I do to be certain if this is indeed the case?

Your first step should be to call your Chippenham conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to inform you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your bank.

I am planning to acquire a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Chippenham who is on the The Royal Bank of Scotland approved. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a conveyancing firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for The Royal Bank of Scotland in certain locations such as Chippenham. We dont recommend any particular firm.

I know that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Do I require this when acquiring a property in Chippenham? or I am told that there is a law dating back centuries that means some homeowners living in a parish church boundary will be compelled to pay for repairs to the chancel in proximity to the church. Is this relevant for conveyancing in Chippenham?

Unless a prior acquisition of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you can take it that lawyers delivering conveyancing in Chippenham to remain encouraging a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my house are lost. The conveyancers who dealt with the conveyancing in Chippenham 5 years ago are no longer around. What do I do?

Gone are the days when you need to have the physical original deeds to prove you own the land or premises, as the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Chippenham. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Chippenham are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Chippenham in which case you should be shopping around for a Chippenham conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

Chippenham Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries before buying

This information is helpful as a) areas could result in problems for the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will need to have complete disclosure How is the lease structured? Its a good idea to find out as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will either make life much easier or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you will be in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily matters such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Don't be shy to ask other tenants if they are happy with their service. Finally, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money.