I am searching for value for money conveyancer. Should I go for for a national conveyancer as opposed to a local Fforestfach conveyancing solicitor?

Existing third party connections is an important consideration when appointing conveyancing lawyers. Fforestfach law firms often have connections with financial advisers and agents, local authorities, surveyors and other conveyancing firms meaning you will move in shortest possible time. Possessing a wealth of insight into the local area also helps too.

The Fforestfach conveyancing firm that I recently instructed on my purchase in Fforestfach have without warning closed. I only went with them because I had to have a solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel and my preferred Fforestfach lawyer was not. I paid them money in advance. What do I do now?

If you have an estate agent involved then let them know immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Co-operative conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to assist.

This question may be naive but I am wet behind the ears as a first time purchaser of a two bedroom flat in Fforestfach. Do I receive the keys to the premises on the completion date from my lawyer? If so, I will use a local conveyancing solicitor in Fforestfach?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will arrange to send the purchase money to the seller's lawyers, and once they have received this, you will be able to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens between 1 and 3pm.

My fiancee and I are in the process of looking at flats in Fforestfach and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it advisable to have a solicitor on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a home loan with Yorkshire BS.

It would be advisable to start your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the estate agent. As you are getting a mortgage with Yorkshire BS, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel.

I have instructed a Fforestfach property lawyer having made sure that they are on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Barclays will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Barclays will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Fforestfach surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Fforestfach. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Fforestfach

Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

We are 18 days into a residential purchase having been referred to a firm by the estate agent to do our conveyancing in Fforestfach. I am am starting to be dissatisfied with the quality of service. Can you help me find new conveyancers?

A conveyancer would have to be really poor to suggest replacing them. Has the mortgage offer been issued? If so you need to inform them of the new contact details and get the mortgage documents are re-sent. Your new solicitor ideally should be on the banks approved list to avoid added expenses and delays. So that should be your first question of the new solicitors. Our find a solicitor tool can help you find a lender approved solicitor for your conveyancing in Fforestfach