"To improve your chances of a trouble-free move in Bournemouth, local knowledge matters. Our Solicitors' maintain a network of Bournemouth contacts.

We have assisted home movers throughout Bournemouth, including Conveyancing in BH1, BH10, BH11, BH3, BH4, BH6, BH7 and BH8."

Local issues considered by Bournemouth Conveyancing Solicitors:

Council Tax Rates in Bournemouth

When you are purchasing a property, your conveyancing solicitor will make enquires on your behalf to establish the council tax banding of the home. Bournemouth Council is responsible for council tax in Bournemouth. The bandings for 2012/13 are* -

• Band A - £999
• Band B - £1166
• Band C - £1332
• Band D - £1499
• Band E - £1832
• Band F - £2165
• Band G - £2498
• Band H - £2997

*Source - www.communities.gov.uk

The impact of Tree Preservation Orders

Trees in Bournemouth subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) may not be cut down, uprooted or lopped without consent from the local council, and causing wilful damage or destruction of a protected tree is a criminal offence. Note that developers are often required to plant trees and carry out other landscaping work as a condition of getting planning permission. Removing a Bournemouth tree planted under a planning order could lead to the council serving an enforcement notice on the property owner.

What are the consequences if your solicitor is not on your lender's panel?

Mortgage lenders maintain panels of solicitors who they will instruct to carry out legal work on mortgages. At one time, many lenders, especially the large banks, were prepared to instruct any firm of solicitors who asked to be placed on their panel. Increasingly however, lenders have lowered the number of firms which they will accept and allow to perform this work. If a lender will not instruct a firm you have picked to perform your legal work, you have the following choices:

• Instruct another firm who is on your lender's panel, or,
• Find a mortgage from a different lender

You could also choose to work with your current solicitor, but you will have to pay the lender's costs in addition to your own, as they will instruct a member of their panel. If you choose to remain with your first choice of Bournemouth-based solicitor, consider the following:

• Your lenders will instruct another firm, and you will have to pay their costs in addition to your own
• Your solicitor will have to send documents and information to the other solicitors, and wait for a response, which can cause delays
• Your case will be one of many which the lender's solicitors are dealing with, so it will be more difficult to engineer any priority treatment
• You cannot contact these solicitors directly, as they will be acting for the lender, not for you

Looking for a mortgage lender with a branch in Bournemouth, Dorset, try:

• Santander Mortgages, 630 Christchurch Road, BH1 4BP - Tel:
• The Mortgage Works, Portman House, Richmond Hill, BH2 6EP - Tel: 0845 4545900
• Halifax, 103-105, Old Christchurch Road, BH1 1EY - Tel: 08456 814078
• Yorkshire Building Society, 97 Old Christchurch Rd, BH1 1EP - Tel: 0845 1200 823