The difficulty with conveyancing is that you never know what problems you may encounter until you start work. What I can tell you is that one of the major causes of delay within residential conveyancing is a lack of Building Regulation Approval for alterations that have been carried out to a property. So here is some guidance on what Building Regulations are and what can be done to keep the transaction moving!
The essence of Building Regulations is compliance with broad objectives such as structure, fire safety, hygiene, glazing, insulation, gas and electrical safety as well as energy conservation amongst others.
If you are buying with the assistance of a mortgage we have to consider the requirements of your mortgage lender. If the valuation report requires us to check on the availability of Building Regulation Approval, or makes the assumption that the necessary consents were obtained, we shall need to refer the lack of consent back to them to allow them to weigh up any potential risks. Buyers need to be aware that this may effect a mortgage lender’s decision to lend on the property.
The best advice is to always check if you need Building Regulation Approval BEFORE starting work. Your local Building Control department is usually very helpful and many local authority websites provide excellent sources of guidance and information.
If you are selling a property, speak with your Solicitor first. Do not approach the council straight away as this may invalidate your ability to put indemnity insurance in place.
If you are buying a property you should always have a survey carried out and you should take advice from your surveyor about any alterations that have been undertaken and what steps they recommend should be taken before proceeding.
Our Residential Property Team here at Lupton Fawcett Denison Till is happy to advise you on all aspects of your sale and purchase. If you have any enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Lupton Fawcett is a leading personal and commercial law firm in Yorkshire with highly experienced teams of Residential Property Solicitors at each of our offices.
So, if you are looking to purchase or sell a residential property in the West Yorkshire area, call one of our expert Residential Property Solicitors in Leeds. They have a detailed knowledge of the local property market and can help make the process of buying or selling your house as painless as possible.
We also have a similarly well-informed team of Sheffield Conveyancing Solicitors, ready to advise anyone looking to buy or sell residential property in Sheffield and South Yorkshire. And for those looking to move to or within North Yorkshire, our well-established team of York Conveyancing Solicitors will be able to offer you an informed insight into the area, guiding you throughout the conveyancing process.
Our Residential Property Solicitors act regularly for clients across Yorkshire including Bradford, Chesterfield, Halifax, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Rotherham, Wakefield.
As a recognised full-service law firm, we can support your needs wherever you live in England, Wales & Northern Ireland.
Call today or complete the enquiry form and we will get back in touch with you quickly. We will always respond promptly, and we will be happy to help.
Please note this information is provided by way of example and may not be complete and is certainly not intended to constitute legal advice. You should take bespoke advice for your circumstances.
Remember you can still call us on 0333 323 5292 or email us at law@luptonfawcett.law