Spring is coming and the time has come to start thinking of moving house and new beginnings.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare the way so you don’t get held up by any legal problems unnecessarily.

• Even before you think about instructing your estate agent make sure that everything is in place with a solicitor right from the start. The choice of solicitor is down to you and it is important to find a solicitor who you feel comfortable with – avoid the out of town conveyancing factories where you can’t speak to the same person twice and find someone local who has been awarded Conveyancing Quality Standard (CQS).

• Make sure you know where your deeds are .  If you have a mortgage they may be with your bank or building society. Or they may be with a previous solicitor.

• If you think that there may be any legal issues ask your solicitor to check the deeds to make sure there are no issues with your home that may cause a hold up when you find a buyer.

• Do you have all the planning consents and building regs for any work carried out in the property since you moved in?

• If you have new windows or have put in a new bathroom or electrical fittings do you have all the compliance certificates? New regulations were brought in a few years ago.

• Find your guarantees for double glazing or the roof work.

• If your property is leasehold who is the ground landlord and have you paid the groundrent?

• Do you have landlord’s consent if you have made any alterations?

• Make sure you are friends with the neighbours –  boundary and neighbour disputes need to be declared and could put purchasers off.

Rosalind Watchorn Solicitors are at 10 Kenwood Park Road Sheffield.  We specialise in wills, probate and issues for elderly clients as well as property matters.  Phone Barbara or Stewart for a conveyancing quote.

Tel: 0114 2290160  

Email: [email protected]