bubulgumov
In response to question 1 it is standard practice to have buildings insurance in place at exchange of contracts as you are committed to go through with the purchase once contracts are exchanged. If there was an event like a flood or storm damage etc after exchange of contracts but before completion you would still have to go through with the purchase or forfeit a percentage of the purchase price.
The thing is I am a lease holder. Itâs a flat in a semidetached house. No service charge. As far as I understand now that Iâve made some research the freeholder should have the buildings insurance.
But the question then is why the solicitor do not inform me of such things. He obviously knows more than me. Why didnât he contact the sellerâs solicitor to get such an info? Now I need to ask the seller about it myself.
bubulgumov
I have recently purchased a property and I can tell you that the process can be painfully slow. Especially so when the property is a leasehold property and a mortgage is involved. Usual practice is for your solicitor to send the sellers solicitor a Property Information Form and a Leasehold Information Form for them to complete. These forms are drafted by the law society and you can Google them to see what I am referring to.
In my experience, the sellers solicitor would only respond to a few of the questions asked at any one time and then send back the form largely incomplete. These forms go back and forth over the weeks and months with the seller providing a little more information each time. Iâm guessing the reason for doing it this way is that there are many steps in the process and a lot of information to digest so they provide the info in bitesize chunks.
I can remember being particularly frustrated with the seller when they delayed answering straight forward questions. One example was on the Property Information Form.
Q 12.3 Does the property have central heating? No response!
If Yes;
(a) What type of system is it (e.g. gas, oil, electric etc)? No response!
Although I knew it to be a gas fired heating system from the agents particulars and seeing it myself at the viewing, legally the seller has to state it as fact.
The whole process can be terribly frustrating!
Sometimes I think that the seller, or my solicitor, or both are just careless.
By the way, did you take mortgage protection, or you think it is unnecessary?
It all depends on the level of risk you are comfortable with. Personally, if I can afford to pay for mortgage protection I would prefer to use that money towards my mortgage and get it paid off sooner and save on the interest.
I totally agree with you.
My completion date is on Friday! Yahooo 
Now i enjoy living in my own house.
Yesterday I received my first Council Tax Bill. It is Band B and much bigger than my previous one which was Band C. Howâs that possible? Is it normal?
I paid ÂŁ156 per month, having Band C and living in London Tube area Zone 3. And now I live in Zone 6 with Band B and have to pay ÂŁ186 per month. 20 pounds difference 
donât think youâll find too much sympathy for that here. All part of being a homeowner! Council Tax band is something you should have found out before you bought the house. If it differs from info you were given/found out then go to the council with documentation. If not, well, fewer takeaways.
Well, does the amount of the tax depend on being an owner or not?
Iâm not whipping, just sharing 
*whining ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just get on with life
The amount of Council tax is no different whether you own or rent. Each Authority sets its own rate, so Band B in one Authority may be different to Band B in another.
Hope this helps.
Challenge it at the valuation office or with the ombudsman
See what your neighbours are paying first
There can be discrepancies so get your evidence together first
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