This week in our FAQ series, our property team advise whether a homeowner will need to communicate with their water provider about a new extension that could affect public sewers in the local area.

Q: I have a Victorian terraced property and want to extend the back of it further into my garden. However, in my garden there is a manhole cover with a sewer pipe that’s connected to my neighbour.

I paid my water company to conduct an asset location search to see if there were any public assets on my property, and they found none. If I complete my extension without damaging any sewer pipes, and maintain access to the manhole, will I still have to pay my water company for their agreement?

Are there any rules that I must abide by when building an extension over drains?  More...

Howells Solicitors were named as the Best Regional Conveyancing Firm of 2014 for the Wales and West Midlands region at the prestigious Law Firm Services Awards.  Competing against leading conveyancing law firms from across the region, the judges said that we stood out from our competitors, “as they truly believe in putting the customer first. This was evident by the high level of repeat business from existing customers.”

Why Howells Stood Out

The judges identified our ‘commitment to the ongoing development and training of all staff in order to keep up their fantastic reputation and very high staff retention rates’ as key factors for awarding us the category win.

We were also runners up in the Direct Conveyancing Firm of 2014 category. This award recognises conveyancing firms that operate across the UK as well as their own locality. We were delighted to be shortlisted for this award as we have only been promoting our services nationally for a short period but already achieved this recognition. More...

In our FAQ series, our solicitors advise a sibling who could be forced to get involved in a messy divorce case.

Q:

My sister and I were given our family’s holiday villa in France after our parents divorced around 20 years ago. It was intended to be used by our friends and family.

Now, my sister is in the process of getting divorced and it’s proving highly acrimonious. Because I inherited the house with my sibling, she tells me that the property is at risk of getting sold as a result and that I need to seek legal advice of my own. Of course, I don’t want to lose my parents’ villa but I’m also extremely wary of getting involved in her divorce or spending any money.

Can you buy out siblings from an inherited house? What should my next step be? More...

If you’re investing in a buy-to-let property with someone else, you have two ways to purchase the property: as tenants in common or as joint tenants.

What’s the difference between a joint tenancy and being tenants in common? Let’s take a look:

What is a joint tenancy?

A beneficial joint tenancy occurs when between two and four people buy a property and own it jointly. However, the parties don’t own specific shares in the investment and can’t give away their right to the property in a Will.  More...

The latest blog in our conveyancing FAQs series sees our solicitors help out a person whose parents may be able to increase the size of their retirement nest egg.

Should my parents consider equity release?

Q: My mum is 67 and dad 73. They have been self-employed throughout their working lives, but because they didn’t have a private pension and enjoyed the good times they don’t have much saved up in retirement.

As a result, since retiring 7 years ago they haven’t had much money to spend. However they do own a mews house mortgage free which has greatly increased in price because of its location. I have a good career and don’t want them to leave all their money to me if it means they’re not enjoying retirement. 

Should I suggest equity release to them? More...