Me and my partner are soon to complete buying a house in East and West Horsley but as a consequence of wreckage from the recent storms I have managed to agree recompense from the owner of £3k by way of a deduction in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of amending the contract yet Bank of Ireland will not permit this. Why were they informed?

The solicitor that is on the Bank of Ireland approved list is duty bound to disclose to Bank of Ireland of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your solicitor to report the reduction to Bank of Ireland then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Bank of Ireland and you would have to appoint a new property lawyer for your conveyancing in East and West Horsley.

I happen to be the sole beneficiary of my late father’s will and I have everything in my name alone, including the house in East and West Horsley. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in August. I want to move. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', meaning my property ownership could be considered the same way as if I'd bought the house in August. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook requires conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you may be caught by that. How sensible a view lenders take of it, depend on the mortgage company as this obligation is primarily there to identify subsales or the quick reselling of property.

Is it the case that all East and West Horsley CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the UBS conveyancing list of approved practices?

A selection of banks and building societies now utilise the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to remain on their panels.

I can not work out if my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local East and West Horsley building society branch on a couple of occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My East and West Horsley conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they will not lend in accordance with their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the solicitor is on the lender approved list, they must adhere to the CML Handbook specifications for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

Will our conveyancer be raising questions about flooding during the conveyancing in East and West Horsley.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for conveyancers carrying out conveyancing in East and West Horsley. There are those who acquire a property in East and West Horsley, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous checks that may be undertaken by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better understanding of the risks in East and West Horsley. The standard property information forms sent to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual inquiry of the owner to determine if the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the residence has been flooded in past and is not notified by the vendor, then a purchaser could issue a compensation claim as a result of such an incorrect reply. A buyer’s solicitors will also conduct an environmental search. This will higlight if there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries will need to be made.

I was recommended by two or three local selling agents in East and West Horsley to choose a property lawyer on your site. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to recommend your services ahead of another?

We refuse to offer any referral fee for sending work to this site. We found it would be just too difficult a fee because a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in East and West Horsley. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in East and West Horsley - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

East and West Horsley Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

Is the freehold owned collectively by the tenants? You will want to discover as much as possible about the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues such as the tidiness of the common parts. Don't be afraid to ask prospective neighbours what they think of their management. In conclusion, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically what it includes.