Will our lawyer be asking questions regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Wimborne.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors conducting conveyancing in Wimborne. There are those who acquire a property in Wimborne, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a number of searches that can be undertaken by the buyer or by their lawyers which should give them a better appreciation of the risks in Wimborne. The standard completed inquiry forms given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual inquiry of the seller to determine if the premises has ever been flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not revealed by the owner, then a buyer could commence a claim for damages as a result of such an incorrect answer. The purchaser’s solicitors should also carry out an enviro search. This should disclose whether there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries will need to be made.

I used Wolstenholmes a few years ago for my conveyancing in Wimborne. Now, I need my files however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Wimborne of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Taking into account that I am about to spend £400,000 on a garden flat in Wimborne I would like to have a conversation with the solicitor about myhouse move ahead of giving the go ahead to the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

This is something that we encourage - we would be happy to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the solicitor due to be doing your conveyancing in Wimborne.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique individual, not a file number. The law firms that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for residential conveyancing in Wimborne should be the amount on the final invoice that you end up paying.

We're new on the property ladder - agreed a price, yet the agent advised that the owners will only go ahead if we appoint their recommended conveyancers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a local conveyancer who is familiar with conveyancing in Wimborne

It is highly unlikely the sellers are behind this. If they want ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a serious purchaser is not the way to achieve this. Speak to the vendors direct and make the point that (a)you are serious buyers (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you are unencumbered (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you intend to use your own,trusted Wimborne conveyancing firm - not the ones that will provide their negotiator at the agency a kickback or meet his conveyancing targets pre-set by head office.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my 2 bed apartment in Wimborne. Conveyancing is yet to be initiated, but I have recently had a quarterly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is pay the service charge as you normally would because all ground rent and service invoices will be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I am the registered owner of a split level flat in Wimborne, conveyancing was carried out 3 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Wimborne with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 50

With just 50 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.