A new year often brings a new start to many people and this can mean moving home.
Let’s say that you have found your dream home, your offer has been accepted via the estate agent, your mortgage offer is being issued and your solicitor is busy dealing with the legal side of your purchase.
PICTURED ABOVE Lucy Spollin, Partner, Residential Property
What can you do to keep things moving in the right direction?
The seller will prepare forms and documents which your solicitor will review alongside searches and other investigations. As you will have visited the property on several occasions, you can check the documents against the property that you have inspected.
Alterations to the property
The seller is obliged to disclose all changes made to the property. Your surveyor will produce a building survey which should also reveal structural alterations to the property. It is essential to establish whether all necessary planning permissions and Building Regulations completion certificates were obtained for those works.
The seller can be asked to provide indemnity insurance for any lack of official documentation, but this will not address whether the works are structurally sound. Your surveyor should be consulted to assess the building work and reassure you or provide you with the further advice that you may need.
Future changes
If you are purchasing with proposals in mind for development, building work or change of use then you should discuss your plans with your solicitor and your local planning office before contracts are exchanged.
Certain small projects may not require planning permission, but you should always consider that planning permission might be needed.
Converting a garage, installing solar panels, decking and paving or changing boundary features may require planning permission and Building Regulations approval. Consider too that planning permission for change of use could be required if you intend to work or run your business
from home.
You should also consult your architect or surveyor for more information.
Pipes and Drains
Water authorities generally advise against building any structure within 3 metres of the centre line of a water or sewage main without a build over agreement or consent.
Any room, conservatory, or other structure built over a main drain or water pipe cannot be routinely replaced, even on a like for like basis. There is no guarantee that applying to do so will result in consent being granted. This could result in the loss of a room, which potentially could devalue the property. You should think carefully if you think that part of the property has been built over a main drain or water pipe and how the loss of such a room may affect your use and enjoyment of the property in future.
Entering into a build over agreement with the water authority can be expensive and time-consuming.
Services and Utilities
You should arrange your own safety checks of gas and electrical installations before contracts are exchanged, rather than relying on any service reports provided by the seller. Any remedial work that may be required can be negotiated before you exchange contracts.
Fittings & Contents
The seller will complete a Fittings & Contents Form which details items to be included or excluded from the sale. Certain items might also be marked as available for sale, subject to agreement over the price. You should review the form and advise your solicitor of any items which you think should be left at or removed from the property upon completion of your purchase.
Any agreement reached with the seller to buy certain items should be documented in the contract. You should check and satisfy yourself that the price you have agreed to pay represents a fair reflection of the market value of those items.
You might want to arrange a viewing just before you complete your purchase to double check that the correct items will be left by the seller. You should also check that the levels of the oil tank or log store (if you are lucky enough to have one!) are as you expect them to be.
If you decide to move, Trethowans wish you the very best!
CONTACT
T. 01202 338585
E. info@trethowans.com
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