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

We have assisted home movers throughout Monmouthshire, including Conveyancing in NP15, NP16, NP25, NP26.

My solicitor is not on my Lender's panel - what do I do?

Lenders maintain panels of law firms to perform mortgage legal work. While these panels were once open, allowing any firm to join, that is no longer the case. Lenders have also reduced the size of their panels, setting more restrictive criteria for membership. 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. Be aware of the following, if you choose to remain with your first choice of law firm:

• You must now pay the lender's costs in addition to your own
• You will not get any priority from the lender's solicitors, as they will have many other cases underway, and you are unable contact these solicitors directly

Official Searches in Monmouthshire

When purchasing a property in Monmouthshire a property lawyer is required by your lender to apply for Searches (Con 29 enquiries, LLC1 and Con29 Part 2). The Local Authority for Monmouthshire is Monmouthshire County Council, County Hall, Cwmbran, Gwent, NP44 2XH. Tel: 01633 644 644 or out of hours emergencies on: 01527 67666

Coal and Brine Pumping Searches

Mining - of coal, metal ores and other minerals - has been carried out across the country since the copper age of prehistory. Residential property may be affected by old underground workings, especially if there is still a risk of subsidence. The mining search provides information on the following:

• Records of coal mining activity in the vicinity, whether past, current, or planned
• Records of any former mine-shafts nearby
• Information about previous subsidence known to have taken place, including details of previous damage claims
• Details of coal seams known to exist beneath the property

After all the coal has been removed from an area mined with modern methods, the site should be restored. A separate environmental search is therefore also required in affected areas. Despite the lack of a central registry, there are a number of private companies which have assembled information from old records, modern surveys and aerial photographs. Workings associated with other minerals mined in various, more isolated parts of the UK, also lack a central registry or easy database. As these areas are less residential however, there is less risk of such a mine impacting a Monmouthshire house.

There are approximately 4 areas in Monmouthshire where a mining search is required. These include; Daren-felen, Clydach, Blackrock and Pwll-du.