My aunt passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Hounslow. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £5k. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Santander, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Given you plan to refinance then Santander will require that you use a conveyancer on the Santander conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Santander conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Santander mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

Will my solicitor be making enquiries about flooding during the conveyancing in Hounslow.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors conducting conveyancing in Hounslow. Some people will buy a property in Hounslow, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous checks that can be initiated by the purchaser or by their conveyancers which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Hounslow. The standard completed inquiry forms sent to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a standard question of the seller to discover if the property has suffered from flooding. If the residence has been flooded in past and is not notified by the seller, then a purchaser may bring a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading response. The buyer’s conveyancers will also conduct an environmental search. This will disclose whether there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be carried out.

How does conveyancing in Hounslow differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Hounslow come to us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is built. This is because builders in Hounslow tend to acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Hounslow or who has acted in the same development.

Am I right to be wary that third parties that I am dealing with are recommending a factory type conveyancing firm rather than a local Hounslow conveyancing firm?

As is the case with many professional services, often recommendations from relatives can be worth their weight in gold. But there are numerous players in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, mortgage brokers and lenders might all suggest solicitors to select. Sometimes the conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but occasionally there behind the scenes commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You have the right to appoint your preferred conveyancer. You need to be aware that most mortgage providers specify a panel list of solicitors you must use for the mortgage related work in your conveyancing.

My husband and I are in the market for an affordable conveyancing solicitor in Hounslow to buy a apartment. I am aware of the risk of getting ripped off and there are plenty Hounslow conveyancing practices to choose from...who do I opt for?

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