Last December we completed a house move in Ferndown. We have noticed several problems with the property which we suspect were missed in the conveyancing searches. Is there anything we can do? Can you clarify the type of searches that should have been ordered as part of conveyancing in Ferndown?

The query is not clear as to the nature of the problems and if they are specific to conveyancing in Ferndown. Conveyancing searches and due diligence undertaken as part of the buying process are carried out to help avoid problems. As part of the process, the vendor answers a document called a Seller’s Property Information Form. answers is incorrect, you may have a misrepresentation claim against the seller for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Ferndown.

Is it the case that all Ferndown solicitors on the Barclays conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Barclays approved list of solicitors they would need to be regulated by the SRA. The majority of lenders do list licenced conveyancers on their panel and in such a situation the practice would be overseen by the CLC.

I have a mortgage with Barclays for my property in Ferndown. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Barclays?

Barclays must be informed of your intention in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Barclays’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Barclays will allow you to rent 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 Barclays directly. You need not do this via a Barclays conveyancing panel firm.

I recently had an offer accepted on a house in Ferndown. My mortgage broker suggested a property lawyer. I paid an advanced payment of £150. A couple of days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me to say that they were not on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Bank of Ireland panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £235,500 and found one near me in Ferndown I like with a park and railway links nearby, however it only has 61 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Ferndown suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.

I am using a search engine for the phrase conveyancing in Ferndown it shows results of numerous conveyancerslocally. How do I determine which is the right solicitor for my move?

The best way of choosing the right conveyancer is via personal testimonial, so seek the guidance of friends and family who have purchased a property in Ferndown or the reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Ferndown differ, so it's a good idea to obtain a minimum of three quotes from varying types of conveyancers. Make sure that you clarify that the costs are guaranteed not to rise.

I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Ferndown. Before diving in I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and most are in Ferndown - 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.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Ferndown - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

Does the lease have more than 90 years left? How is the lease structured? This question is useful as a) areas can result in problems in the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if repairs are not paid for b) if the tenants have a dispute with the running of the building you will wish to know about it