I am purchasing a property mortgage free in Talybont. I have lived for the last 15 years in Talybont. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. As I have knowledge of the road and vicinity very well should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?

In the absence of a mortgage, then all but one or two of the Talybont conveyancing searches are non-obligatory. Your lawyer will ’encourage you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but she is duty bound to do this. One thing to take into account; if you are likely to sell the house in the future, it could be of relevance to your future buyer what the searches contain. On occasion premises with day to day issues can still throw up unfavourable search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Talybont should be able to give you some sensible advice here.

Finally the sale completed on my house in Talybont last September but our buyer keeps calling me to moan that her lawyer is waiting to hear from mine. What are the post completion sale legalities following completion?

Following your house sale your conveyancer should forward the transfer documentation and all of the paperwork to the purchaser's solicitors. Where relevant, your solicitor should also evidence that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been paid off to the buyers conveyancers. There is unlikely to be post completion procedures specific conveyancing in Talybont.

The Talybont conveyancing firm that I appointed last week on my house acquisition in Talybont have without warning closed. I only went with them because I had to have a firm on the Santander conveyancing panel and my family Talybont lawyer was not. I paid them 275 plus VAT on account. What should be my next steps?

Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. 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 Santander 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 lawyers should be in a position to assist.

Will my solicitor be raising questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Talybont.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors carrying out conveyancing in Talybont. Some people will acquire a property in Talybont, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or sell 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 impart advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that can be carried out by the purchaser or by their conveyancers which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Talybont. The standard information given to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard question of the owner to determine whether the premises has ever been flooded. In the event that flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the owner, then a purchaser may commence a claim for damages resulting from an inaccurate response. A purchaser’s conveyancers should also conduct an environmental report. This will reveal if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be carried out.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Talybont is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can impart?

Flying freeholds in Talybont are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Talybont you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Talybont may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.