Conveyancing in Wakefield Q & A

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

• By road: Wakefield is served by the M1, M62 and A638.
• By rail: The nearest train stations are Wakefield Westgate and Wakefield Kirkgate.
• By air: Leeds Bradford Airport is 20 miles and Doncaster Sheffield Airport is 40 miles from Wakefield.
• Hospital: Clayton, Wakefield, WF1 3JS.
• Council: Wakefield Council.
• Attractions: Sandal Castle, Wakefield Museum, Nostell Priory, The Hepworth, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and Wakefield Cathedral.

I am trying to find fixed-rate Wakefield conveyancing. What needs to be considered?

The lack of clarity on this point unfortunately catches out many buyers, and can leave them paying far more in conveyancing fees than they budgeted. Several solicitors promote 'the cheapest conveyancing quotes', but extra costs are frequently hidden in the small print, which buyers may have not read carefully. Extra costs should be clear and reasonable and only be applied if the lawyer is required to complete extra work for you, which could not be anticipated at the start of the process. Homeward Legal’s quotes clearly state all legal fees for a standard conveyancing transaction. Use the online quote calculator or give us a call on 0800 038 6699 to talk to one of our conveyancing experts about obtaining a fixed-fee quote, backed up with our ‘No Move, No Fee’ guarantee.

With a £259,000 house ready to buy, with no mortgage required, how can we get a fast conveyancing transaction in Wakefield?

The principal critical thing to do to speed up the progress of the conveyancing process is to contact a proactive, diligent conveyancing solicitor, like our experts at Homeward Legal. Our solicitors use the latest integrated computer systems to assist in the conveyancing and regularly contact all of the other parties in the property chain. There are, however, a number of jobs that you, as the buyer, could do to get moving sooner. These include:

• promptly completing and returning any forms
• ordering a property survey early in the transaction
• contacting your conveyancing solicitor regularly to discuss progress

As a consequence of the serious flooding in Leeds we are concerned that the environmental searches on our Wakefield property aren't exacting enough. Are we right to be concerned?

Your conveyancing solicitor will request environmental searches as a crucial element of the legal process. The results of the searches will identify the risk of flooding at your projected property and, if the level of risk is significant, your solicitor will order a more in-depth search with the Landmark Information Group. It might be worth speaking to a local resident to gain more comfort if you’re still concerned, or perhaps you could contact a West Yorkshire flood repair expert, such as:

• Adrian Hewson Decorating Services, 5 Castle Meadows, Hall Green, Wakefield, WF4 3QJ (Tel: 01924 259479)

Is it advisable that I get searches for chancel liability? We are intending to buy a flat in Wakefield.

Chancel liability repair costs can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, which owners of affected property will be compelled to pay on demand to the parish church councils. Parochial Church Councils in Wakefield must have registered their interest over property by October 2013, which has simplified the chancel search process. A conveyancing solicitor will be able to advise further. Wakefield church properties include:

• St. Peter’s Church Centre, Lake Lock Road, Stanley, Wakefield, WF3 4HW
• Chantry Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin, Chantry Bridge Industrial Estate, Wakefield, WF1 5DJ
• St. Andrew’s, Peterson Road, Wakefield, WF1 4DP

Unpredicted personal circumstances mean we must complete on the sale of our jointly-owned freehold flat in Wakefield in a very short timeframe. Do you work with any fast solicitors?

To be frank, a lot of legal firms are simply too laid back, which causes additional and unnecessary stress in the process of moving home. Homeward Legal will only introduce you to lawyers, who continually attempt to push through progress in all parts of the property chain (the sequence of buyers and sellers). In addition, Homeward Legal’s conveyancing lawyers are chosen because they implement the best automated practice management systems to complete on your move swiftly.

Why might the conveyancing on the sale of a semi-detached house in Wakefield require months to complete?

On average, the time to complete the conveyancing is between one and three months. Unfortunately, the time taken to buy or sell residential property can vary considerably. This is based on several issues which may affect the smooth sale or purchase of your property (for instance, if a third party is slow to respond, or one of the buyers in the chain is waiting to hear back on a mortgage application). With our solicitors at Homeward Legal, every purchase is handled as fast as possible, without compromising on service. We aim to complete the conveyancing work within six weeks.

I am taking out a mortgage in Wakefield with UCB Home Loans, what do we need to be aware of?

In some cases, mortgage lenders have decided to decrease the number of firms on their approved solicitor panel, which potentially creates increased conveyancing costs for buyers. At Homeward Legal, we will act on behalf of all the major lenders in the UK to ensure that you will not be asked to pay the lender's legal fees.

How is contaminated land in Wakefield identified?

A range of contaminants created by natural causes can impair land and it is a common problem throughout the UK. Contaminants including brine works or other land contamination should be considered as part of the appropriate search, which will be handled by your appointed solicitor. Contamination in Wakefield can be caused by local waste sites, such as the recycling centre at Calder Vale Road, West Yorkshire, WF1 5PJ.