Property Advice

Buying a property to let out is not the same as buying a home for you to live in yourself, so make sure you choose specialists to help you. Many solicitors who deal with residential property will have no experience of rental properties, so look for a law firm with the right knowledge and expertise. Solicitors Bonallack & Bishop have created this checklist to help you ask the right questions so you can choose the best firm for the job.  

There is lots of important information you need to know about when buying a residential leasehold property such as a flat and you need to make sure you have specialist legal help. Key questions required are: how long is the length of the lease? Can you extend the freehold? How much is the service charge and ground rent, how much might they increase by? Ideally organise a legal company that is a member of ALEP? Making sure you have the answers to these questions can make sure you avoid some real leasehold legal minefields.

Not all of us are legal experts by any means so it's vital to get the right advice when buying or selling a home. Moving house is a big deal with lots of money and emotion involved so it's vital to be prepared and get things done properly. Don't just pick the first legal company you see on google or the one that appears to be the cheapest. One could lose you your property sale/purchase, the other could end up costing you far more in the long run! Make sure your quote includes ALL the costs and keep the legal contact details always to hand, being able to answer any queries they have or fill in paperwork as soon as possible. Finally, if you are purchasing a buy to let, new build or leasehold property, for example, make sure the legal company has the specialist knowledge you need.

Patience is most certainly a virtue when it comes to sorting out the legals for your first home purchase. You should organise a legal company prior to making an offer, compare a few different firms to make sure you get the one which most suits your needs and know the total fees (not just headline figures) you will be charged. This guide will explain how to choose a legal company and the steps they will take on your behalf. Make sure you have the details of your legal company ready to give an agent when you make an offer on a property.