Our Patch AUTUMN 2017
Planning the next move
Conveyancer Luke Corby-Owen answers Jane Grove’ s questions on important things to bear in mind when you are buying or leasing a property
A friend has recommended a solicitor’ s firm to do conveyancing for me, but the company is miles away. Why should I consider choosing a local firm when the one based out of town is likely to be cheaper? Your choice of solicitor must not only be based on price but also the level of service they offer, the convenience for you, and the solicitor’ s experience. Although speaking to someone over the phone or corresponding via email can achieve a lot, they cannot replace face-to-face interaction.
How do you match your clients’ expectations? Our clients have the certainty that they will have one lawyer allocated to their file, who will oversee the entire matter. We provide them with regular updates and I prefer to meet them. Either they can come to our office in Kew, or I visit them at home or at work.
I operate on the basis that if I take the time to get to know my clients and understand what they want to achieve, we can get things done very quickly.
I take the time to get to know my clients and understand what they want to achieve
How can I find out information about school catchment areas? Usually the first place is the estate agent’ s particulars. Councils also have lists of schools and catchment areas, and some include interactive maps.
Other good websites are the DirectGov Schools Finder website at schoolsfinder. direct. gov. uk / schoolsfinder, Locrating at www. locrating. com and, surprisingly, the Post Office website at www. postoffice. co. uk / mortgages / school-catchment-areas
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How can I find out what planning permission is currently in place for a property I intend to buy? Most local authority planning and building control departments have information online. Councils have links to where you can inquire about the work you are permitted to carry out and where you can launch your own planning permission application.
If I intend to do building work on a property soon after I’ ve bought it, what should I consider? I would advise that any concerns over planning permission should be resolved before you exchange. This is a must-do if you intend to buy the property solely based on your ability to carry out certain works like, perhaps, an extension.
How can I establish whether a property I’ m interested in buying is in a conservation area? The answers can usually be found in the local authority search results, which should form part of a set of searches your solicitor should do. Searches can confirm if your property is a listed building, who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of nearby roads, and whether there are any other restrictions or plans in place.
How can I find out if there are any significant building works or developments planned nearby which may have an impact on the value of the property, as well as my home life? The searches provide information about a property’ s past, present and proposed building work, and also any developments in the wider area, which may impact upon it. Searches can also include information about development proposals, such as HS2 or Crossrail, that may affect your property’ s value.
Can a potential leaseholder find out if any work is planned on a building? If you are buying a leasehold property, you should receive a leasehold information pack prepared by the freeholder, management company or management agent, with details about current or future work. It contains information on service charges and any arrears. I always ask for the service charge accounts too, for the current financial year and the next. Even if the estimated service charge accounts for the following year aren’ t available, we can establish when they should be, so there aren’ t any nasty surprises.
Luke Corby-Owen has been a conveyancer for five years, and with The Law House for nearly two. He knows how stressful it is to buy or sell a home and aims to make it as easy as possible for clients. In his spare time, Luke is a keen rugby fan and an encyclopedia of useless facts!
Luke Corby-Owen Property Lawyer and Conveyancer lcorby-owen @ thelawhouse. com Tel: 020 3150 1919
The Law House Unit 1 Kew Bridge Piazza 8 Kew Bridge Road TW8 0FJ Tel: 020 3150 2525 www. thelawhouse. com