I am purchasing a property for cash in Skewen. I have lived for the previous dozen years in Skewen. Conveyancing searches are expensive. As I know the area and road intimately should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?
If you not getting a home loan, then all but one or two of the Skewen conveyancing searches are optional. Your conveyancer will try and steer you, no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but he is duty bound to do this. One thing to bear in mind; if you are intend to dispose of the house one day, it may be of importance to your prospective purchaser what the searches contain. There are plenty of instances where properties with apparent issues can still reveal unpredicted search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Skewen should be able to give you some sensible guidance in this regard.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Skewen. My lender is Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 15/4/2025, the requirements read as follows :
What will a local search inform me concerning the house we're purchasing in Skewen?
Skewen conveyancing often starts with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations for instance Searches UK The local search plays an important role in many a Skewen conveyancing purchase; that is if you don’t want any nasty surprises after you move into your new home. The search will reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject headings.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Skewen is where the house is located. Can you offer any opinion?
Flying freeholds in Skewen are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Skewen you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Skewen may ascertain 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.
I am 17 days into a residential purchase having been directed to solicitors by the high street agent to execute conveyancing in Skewen. We are not happy. Could you help me find new lawyers?
A lawyer would need to be really poor in order to consider diss instructing them. Has your mortgage offer been sent? In the event that it has you must make them aware of the new conveyancer and have the mortgage documents are issued to the new lawyers. The solicitor ideally should be on the mortgage company panel to avoid supplemental fees and delays. That should be your starting point. Our search tool will help you find a bank approved conveyancer for your home move in Skewen
Last November I purchased a leasehold house in Skewen. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
Skewen Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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It is important to be aware if changing the roof or some other major work is due in the near future to be shared by the tenants and will materially increase the the service fees or necessitate a one time invoice. Make sure you enquire if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. By way of example it is fairly common in Skewen leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Skewen. If you love the apartmentin Skewen but your cat is not allowed to move with you then you will be presented with a hard decision. Please note that where the lease has fewer than 80 years it will affect the value of the flat. Check with your bank that they are willing to lend given the lease term. A short lease means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you will be required to have owned the property for two years in order to be entitled to extend the lease.