Me and my fiancee are purchasing our first home. Our solicitor has texted usto see if we want to purchase supplemental conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's necessary for conveyancing in Dalston

The scope of Dalston conveyancing searches depends primarily on the property, the location, the probability of any of these risks, your knowledge of the locality and risks, your overall appetite to risk. What is important is that you properly understand what information the searches could supply. You may then decide if you personally think you need that information. If in doubt, ask your lawyer to advise.

Should my solicitor be making enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Dalston.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers dealing with homes in Dalston. Plenty of people will buy a house in Dalston, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, suitable building insurance, or dispose of the property. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Lawyers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous checks that may be carried out by the purchaser or by their solicitors which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Dalston. The conventional set of information given to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual inquiry of the owner to discover if the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the premises has been flooded in past which is not disclosed by the owner, then a buyer may issue a claim for damages resulting from an incorrect response. A buyer’s lawyers may also conduct an enviro report. This should reveal whether there is any known flood risk. If so, further investigations will need to be conducted.

I used Stirling Law a few years past for my conveyancing in Dalston. I now require my papers but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Dalston of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I am looking for a flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Dalston I like with amenity areas and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 51 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Dalston for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

If you need a mortgage that many years may be problematic. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least twenty four months you can request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

My folks are unable to locate their Dalston land registry title on the site. They have a vague recollection 50 years ago when they bought the property there were complications with Dalston not being identified on some systems.

Nearly all premises in Dalston should appear. Have you tried a search to simply the postcode. Usually it should mention all the houses and flats inside the postcode. Assuming the property is registered it will be there with a title number. If they bought sixty years ago it's conceivable it may be not yet registered. The address might still be revealed but with the title number shown 'na'. In this scenario you will need to track down the original title deeds which may be with your parent’s bank.