Should our solicitor be raising questions regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Old Windsor.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors carrying out conveyancing in Old Windsor. Some people will purchase a house in Old Windsor, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Solicitors are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that can be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Old Windsor. The conventional set of property information forms given to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual inquiry of the vendor to find out if the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the residence has been flooded in past and is not revealed by the seller, then a purchaser could bring a legal claim for losses as a result of such an misleading reply. The purchaser’s conveyancers should also carry out an enviro search. This will higlight whether there is any known flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be conducted.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and identified one near me in Old Windsor I like with open areas and transport links in the vicinity, however it's only got 49 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Old Windsor suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be problematic. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

We're new on the property ladder - had an offer accepted, but the selling agent advised that the seller will only proceed if we use the agent's preferred lawyers as they are insisting on a ‘quick sale’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Old Windsor

It is highly unlikely the sellers are driving this. If they require ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a genuine buyer is going to damage their objectives. Avoid the agents and go straight to the owners and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you do not need to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you are going to instruct your preferred Old Windsor conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will earn the estate agent a introducer fee or meet his conveyancing figures demanded by senior management.