Solicitors - purchasing a property please help.

illbeurhuckleberry

Hi everyone.
just received a lot of info from my solicitor to sign. It’s asking me if I would like a official local authority searches ( this may incur an additional charge) Do I need this? See letter attached.

And also this. I owned a house before and never had

kasqueak

I’m not too sure about the first one as I thought local authority search was pretty standard in a house purchase? I’m currently in the midst of buying myself and we paid for local authority searches. Think it was about £300 via solicitor. 

We also had chancel repair come up. Some properties are in areas where they ‘may’ be liable for repair costs towards the church. For a small fee you can buy an indemnity policy to cover you. We got one through our solicitor it was £20 and lasts 25yrs. 

rik111

Don’t waste your money on chancel repair. Is a scam by the Solicitors who get a massive proportion of it as commission. Just google the last time a church demanded its Parishioners pay for a new roof, it just doesn’t happen in these modern times... 

Marshaltown

I am in the process of buying (but just a flat) and received the same options. Just went for the Official Search as I know the area quite well and can't see what some other type of Search could include that would be beneficial to me. As for the Chancel Repair liability this basically means being held liable for repairs to a neighbouring, usually, historic ecclesiastical building. In the past a few people have been seriously stung for repairs. Don't know what the current legal position is, but assuming your not within visible distance of some ecclesiastical building then it seems unlikely that you can be held liable for repairs.

illbeurhuckleberry

Thank you. I’m currently paying over 1,200 in solicitor fees so your comments have been very helpful and save me spending more money. 😉

Tiglet2

Do you need a mortgage?  If so, the Local Authority Search is compulsory along with Water & Drainage and Environmental as a standard search pack.  The chancel indemnity is your choice, but the indemnity cost is relatively little for the peace of mind.

illbeurhuckleberry

No issues with the local authority search that’s included in the overall solicitor cost. But the have offered an additional personal local authority search for an additional cost and wondered did I really need this. 

Kyresa

rik111 said:

Don’t waste your money on chancel repair. Is a scam by the Solicitors who get a massive proportion of it as commission. Just google the last time a church demanded its Parishioners pay for a new roof, it just doesn’t happen in these modern times... 

Just to correct this statement, Solicitors do NOT get commission for searches!!!    

Splatfoot

Kyresa said:

rik111 said:

Don’t waste your money on chancel repair. Is a scam by the Solicitors who get a massive proportion of it as commission. Just google the last time a church demanded its Parishioners pay for a new roof, it just doesn’t happen in these modern times... 

Just to correct this statement, Solicitors do NOT get commission for searches!!!    

Poster mentioned Chancel repair not searches. 

davidmcn

illbeurhuckleberry said:

No issues with the local authority search that’s included in the overall solicitor cost. But the have offered an additional personal local authority search for an additional cost and wondered did I really need this. 

It's an alternative, not additional. What are the relative costs?

Kyresa

Splatfoot said:

Kyresa said:

rik111 said:

Don’t waste your money on chancel repair. Is a scam by the Solicitors who get a massive proportion of it as commission. Just google the last time a church demanded its Parishioners pay for a new roof, it just doesn’t happen in these modern times... 

Just to correct this statement, Solicitors do NOT get commission for searches!!!    

Poster mentioned Chancel repair not searches. 

The post was in relation to the chancel check search and/or indemnity insurance.     I just want it to be made clear that there is no such commision paid on chancel repair insurance/searches (however you want to frame it) whatsoever!!    Usually the search providers package the indemnity insurance with the local authority search, drainage and enviro search for about £12 included.  (and,.... you guessed it, still no commission paid to the solicitors firm).