Conveyancing in Bristol, Solicitors with local expertise

Are you selling or buying a property in Bristol?

Bristol is the largest city in the Southwest of England with a population nearing half a million. Bristol is a green and highly desireable place to live with an excellent transport network and a diverse range of housing stock.

As with any City, it has a number of idiosyncratic issues which Conveyancing Solicitors in Bristol are well used to. For example, it may come as a surprise to many buyers to find that much of Bristol and South Gloucestershire lies on a coalfield and mines existed even in quite central parts of the city, until the 1950s. We therefore carry out coal-mining searches for homes in most areas of Bristol.

Another example is 'Rentcharges', a legal peculiarity almost unique to the Bristol and North Somerset area. These are small annual payments, similar to ground rents, which have to be paid by the owners of some freehold properties. If a house is subject to such a charge the Solicitor will find out if it is still collected.

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A further sample of issues noted by Bristol Conveyancing Solicitors:

Is your home built on Contaminated Land?

There can be severe consequences for a Bristol house affected by contaminated land. Searches for contaminated land do not initially involve any physical inspection, but are based on old records of land use. Landowners whose land is contaminated may be liable for the cost of remedial works, and the cost implications can be substantial. Insurance to cover contamination-related issues may be recommended by your solicitor, if appropriate.

Landfill sites in the local area:

• Kingsweton Lane Landfill, Kingsweston Lane, Avonmouth, BS11 9YF. The site has been classified as hazardous.
• Plantation Works Landfill Site, Clevedon Road, Failand, BS8 3UA. The site has been classified as inert.
• Shortwood Quarry Landfill Site, Cattybrook Road North, Shortwood, BS16 9NN. The site has not been classified.
• Berwick Farm Landfill Site, Land / Premises At Berwick Farm, Berwick Lane, Avon, BS10 7RS. The site has been classified as hazardous.
• Crooks Marsh Farm Landfill Site, Land / Premises At, Crooks Marsh Farm, Avon, BS10 7SF. The site has not been classified.
• Churngold University Playing Fields Landfill, Land / Premises At, Kingsweston Lane, Avon, BS11 0LF. The site has not been classified.
• Foreshore Of Avonmouth Dock, Land / Premises At, North Pier, Avon, BS11 9BW. The site has not been classified.
• Tracy Park Golf Club Landfill Site, Land / Premises At, Bath Road, Avon, BS15 5RN. The site has not been classified.

Liability for Chancel Repair in Bristol

Many people in Bristol homes live nearer to a parish church than they realise. In some cases, what is known as a chancel repair liability arises as a result of this proximity. These upkeep costs can run into £100,000s. This was thought, until very recently, to be largely unenforceable. Unfortunately, recent legal decisions have meant that many properties may, in fact, be liable.

The future of this liability in Bristol

The Government acknowledges that the existence of a liability for chancel repair will affect the value of the property in question. In many cases, this effect can be mitigated by relatively inexpensive insurance, but in order to make the process of identifying affected land as fast as possible, new legislation requires the church to register their interest before 2003.

The outcome of Chancel Liability Searches

Even though an in-depth search is specific to the property, it is still not definitive, as demonstrating liability may rely on obscure or ambiguous centuries-old records. If a liability is identified via this search, then indemnity insurance potentially may be harder to obtain. Be aware that many mortgage providers will require indemnity insurance if chancel liability exists. On rare occasions, indemnity insurance might not be available. In the event that indemnity insurance is not available enquiries will be made to the relevant church as to the likelihood of a claim being made in the foreseeable future and also whether the church has any records of how many other properties will share the liability. Your conveyancing solicitor will then report back to you (and your lender) and advise accordingly. Arranging indemnity insurance is generally inexpensive and straightforward.

For those buying in Bristol conservation areas, consents for alterations and other works must be confirmed:

Conservation areas include Lower Machen, Redwick, St.Woolos, Beechwood Park, Belle Vue Park, Kensington Place, Lower Dock Street, Stow Park, The Shrubbery, Town Centre, Waterloo, Caerleon & Clytha.