"There a several benefits of local information when buying or selling in Winchester. By building contacts with local authorities, your Solicitor can deliver Conveyancing with fewer delays, and keep you better informed. They are also highly familiar with areas needing special consideration across Winchester.

We have assisted home movers throughout Winchester, including Conveyancing in SO22, SO23."

Local issues considered by Winchester Conveyancing Solicitors:

Winchester Listed Buildings

Special planning consent must be obtained for alterations, extensions or demolition of a listed building. A local search will also reveal details of any listed building planning consents relating to the property, in addition to other planning information. It is important to note that when a building is listed this affects all parts of the property, including garages, outbuildings and any other buildings within the boundaries of the property.

Listed buildings and scheduled monuments in Winchester include City Cross or 'Butter Cross, Hyde Abbey gateway, Site of St Gertrude's Chapel, and St Catherine's Hill Hillfort.

Issues to consider when your lawyer 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. More recently, lenders have begun to remove firms which have either not completed many conveyancing transactions or have failed to meet other criteria. In order to proceed where your lawyer is not on a mortgage lender' s panel, you have the following options:

• Obtain a mortgage from a less restrictive lender
• Instruct a solicitor whom your lender accepts
• Pay the lenders costs for their solicitor in addition to your own

It is usually cheaper to have the same firm act both for you and your lender, and carry out all the conveyancing work in connection with a purchase and the mortgage. Consider these points if you choose to change firms:

• Additional fees may be charged by the new firm which your original lawyers considered to be inclusive.
• Your second choice of firm may have less local knowledge, or be harder to meet in person.

Looking for a mortgage lender with a branch in Winchester, Hampshire, try:

• Santander, 119, High St, SO23 9LD - Tel: 0845 7654321
• Barclays Bank plc, 50, Jewry St, SO23 8RG - Tel: 0845 7555555
• Britannia, 93, High St, SO23 9AP - Tel: 01962 852377
• Halifax, 129, High St, SO23 9AX - Tel: 01962 749702
• NatWest Bank plc, 105, High St, SO23 9AW - Tel: 0845 6002803

Road and Rail Construction

Significant highway works, or the expansion of the UK's rail system, can cause a great deal of inconvenience to unlucky homeowners living near construction. Buyers should be aware of any schemes (underway, or planned) in the Winchester area. Local searches for road and rail works reveal:

• If the residence is within 200 metres of:
• a new road
• a planned underpass, flyover, roundabout, or bridge
• road widening
• a proposed rail or tram route
• If any road adjoining the residence is maintained by the council
• Proposals for any adjacent road to:
• make it one-way
• close it off or divert it
• introduce parking or speed restrictions
• introduce width or weight restrictions

Note that a scheme may be under active consideration by Winchester council staff, but until formal proposals are published it will not be revealed in the search.