Transport and public service information if you’re buying or selling residential property in Bolton

• By road: Major road access via the M60, M61, and A58.
• By rail: The nearest train station is Bolton Interchange.
• By air: City Airport and Heliport, Eccles (9 miles from Bolton), Manchester Airport (17 miles) and Liverpool John Lennon Airport (25 miles).
• Hospital: Royal Bolton Hospital, Minerva Road, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 0JR.
• Council: City of Bolton MDC (www.bolton.gov.uk).

I have got a quote from Homeward Legal. Will there be any hidden fees?

No. Homeward Legal never hide any hidden extra charges, and will include all applicable disbursements and fees. Some conveyancers give 'quotes' which are in fact no more than estimates. As a result, the final bill you receive from them may end up being much more than expected.

If we are purchasing a property in Bolton, are we required to get a housing survey?

Homeward Legal recommend that all buyers order a home-buyer survey if they are intending to buy a property in Bolton. Buyers should be aware that there are many problems that may impact a property, such as cavity wall-tie failure. A home-buyer survey will identify such issues.

Flood searches are part of the conveyancing remit, but with recent climatic events (e.g. the widespread flooding in Northwest England in September 2012), are they adequate to determine sufficient information about the flood risk in the Bolton area?

Property environmental searches carried out by a conveyancing lawyer on a Bolton property will identify environmental issues for the area. They will also include the more informative flood search if the risk warrants it. If you are still concerned, you could talking to a Bolton resident or contacting a local flooding repair expert like Heightvale, Unit 1, Spa Road Industrial Estate, Spa Road, Bolton, BL1 4SS (Tel: 01204 523772).

Lloyds Bank is going to be our lender. What do we need to consider?

Over the last two years, some lenders have reduced the number of solicitor firms on their approved panel, which may result in increased conveyancing costs for purchasers of Bolton properties. Homeward Legal are able to act for all major UK mortgage lenders so that you don’t pay any of their costs.

I am intending to buy a 1960s property. Is it necessary to undertake 'conveyancing searches'?

These searches are a standardised set of enquiries (for example, a gypsum search) which are performed on your behalf by a lawyer. They only deal with the legal aspects of the purchase. Contact Homeward Legal to discuss with our property experts what might be included in the searches.

Why does Bolton sale conveyancing take such a long time?

The conveyancing process will sometimes take more time than planned, even in ideal circumstances. Some causes are out of the solicitor's hands, such as a firm acting for the lender being slow in responding. At Homeward Legal, we endeavour to reduce their impact whenever feasible by continually pushing all parties involved.

Do I need a chancel search for a Bolton home on the same street as a church built in the 13th Century?

A landmark case in 2003 reaffirmed that 'lay impropriators' of a property (homeowners local to a church building) must fund church repairs. A number of sources are used to identify liability including parish archives. Church of England properties in the area local to Bolton where a chancel search may be appropriate include:

• St. James with St. Chrysostom, Bolton Road, Bolton, BD2 4LH
• St. John the Evangelist, 55 Church Street, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 8AQ
• All Saints, Bank Street, Bolton

Is contaminated land in Bolton an issue for the majority of houses?

Many contaminants may lessen the desirability of Bolton residences (such as proximity to scrapyards or problems created by historic industrial processes). Your lawyer will order an environmental search as part of the conveyancing process, which should give more clarity.