New Build Conveyancing in Shepton Mallet

Dealing with Conveyancing in Shepton Mallet, experienced  Conveyancer Dawn Thomas was happy to handle the sale of a freehold detached house on Amulet Way, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4.

Local agent Geoffrey Smith of 55 High Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 5AQ negotiated the sale on the sellers' behalf, and sent Dawn the details. The clients confirmed their instructions to proceed, and were asked to complete a seller's property information form online. This would then be sent on to the buyers' Conveyancing Solicitors, Bartlett Gooding & Weelen of 57 High Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5AQ.

On receiving instructions, our Conveyancing Solicitors contacted the office of the Mendip district council at Cannard's Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 5 to obtain copies of relevant planning documents. The house had been built a few years earlier, and as a result the buyers' Conveyancing Solicitors would want to see relevant planning consents and evidence that the construction complied with building regulations. Rather than wait for them to be requested by the purchasers' Conveyancing Solicitors once they had received their local search results, Dawn ordered copies from the council immediately, saving valuable time with the Conveyancing process.

Planning consent had been granted in 2006 and the house was completed in 2007. Newly-built houses are generally covered by warranties issued by a number of corporations, such the NHBC (National House-Building Council) and Premier Guarantee. These warranties provide insurance cover against certain building defects, and the cover protects all owners of the property during the warranty period, usually 10 years. Further information can be found on their website. 

Such warranties provide useful protection for both buyers and lenders, so it is a requirement of the Council of Mortgage Lenders that newly built houses have a certificate of cover. Conveyancing Solicitors acting for subsequent purchasers want confirmation that the original warranty certificate will be handed over on completion, so it will have to be obtained from the sellers. Occasionally the original will be held by a mortgage lender, but they now rarely hold original documents. If the seller was not sent the certificate at the time they bought the property then it may be with the Conveyancing Solicitors who acted at the time, but otherwise a duplicate will have to be obtained at the vendors' expense.

Another reason that original certificates are required by buyers' Conveyancing Solicitors is that they often now include the completion certificate for building regulation purposes. Many councils now outsource building control inspections of new-build houses to this group, or other similar organisations.

Anyone buying a new house will receive an information pack with the warranty certificate from their Conveyancing Solicitor. This should be kept in a safe place so that it can be passed over to subsequent buyers (and it would be required if a claim had to be made.)
Dawn was able to obtain copies of the planning documents, including a tree preservation order affecting trees on the estate. The clients also had their NHBC certificate, so copies of all the documents required were quickly sent on to the buyers' Solicitors to satisfy their enquiries, and the sale proceeded without delay.

Contact Fridaysmove for a quote for Conveyancing in Shepton Mallet.