Home Owners Protection Insurance

dazeruk

I'm in the middle of buying my first property, a leasehold flat.

I keep getting 'offers' from my conveyancing solicitors for other services they provide.

Last week it was for writing a will. Not taken up as I get a free will writing service through my union at work.

This week it's home owners protection insurance.

This claims to provide insurance against

1) Misrepresentation by the seller
2) Boundary disputes
3) Breach of planning permission
4) Mortgage fraud and identity theft

which they say cannot be discovered during the conveyancing process.

The premium is apparently a one off payment. However they fail to disclose what that is in the sales letter.

Is this insurance really necessary?

G_M

Not usual, and probobly not necessary unless there is something uncertain in the Title, in which case he should be clearly explaining it to you and making you aware of the risks.

Sounds like a sharp conveyancer (solicitor????) just trying to make money. I look forward to your next post after you get his bill, which will have all sorts of 'extras' you were not expecting!

Do some basic checking yourself. Talk to the neighbours! You'll find out if they are friendly (Do you want to live next to them?) and also about disputes etc. They'll also tell you all the dodgy stuff about the house/street the vendors won't!

Planning? Well, has it been extended? Needed Planning? If so, talk to the Planners at the council! If not, what's the problem?

Mortgage fraud by....? you? previous owner? Your solicitor should be ensuring removal of any existing mortgage on the property, so what fraud is he worried about?

I'm more concerned about your choice of conveyancer to be honest....