We note that you have a post code search directory listing law firms on the UBS conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I instruct them for our own conveyancing in Barnard Castle?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the UBS conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Barnard Castle.
My wife and I have arranged the release of further monies on our home loan from Leeds Building Society as we intend to conduct improvements to our property in Barnard Castle. Are we obliged to appoint a high street Barnard Castle solicitor on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?
Leeds Building Society do not ordinarily appoint firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel.
I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in March 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Virgin Money are being problematic. The Barnard Castle solicitor who is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Virgin Money are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Virgin Money have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Virgin Money have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Virgin Money may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
Our offer on a property in Barnard Castle has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have offered on somewhere, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other apartments booked. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Barnard Castle. What do I do now? At what point do I apply for the mortgage with Coventry BS?
It is normal to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs prematurely (home loan application is approx £1k, then valuation, Barnard Castle conveyancing search fees, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Coventry BS approved list. As to the subsequent stages this very much dictated by the specifics of your transaction, motivation for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market the majority of buyers will apply for the mortgage with Coventry BS and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their conveyancing practitioner to move forward with the conveyancing in Barnard Castle.
I am intent on selling our property in Barnard Castle and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. Any high street Barnard Castle lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers are using a nationwide conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Barnard Castle. Having lived in Barnard Castle for 5 years we know of no issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to obtain confirmation need.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. What do they say? You should check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Barnard Castle is where the house is located. Can you offer any guidance?
Flying freeholds in Barnard Castle are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Barnard Castle you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Barnard Castle may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
In my capacity as executor for the will of my aunt I am selling a property in Newport but reside in Barnard Castle. My solicitor (based 260 kilometers from mehas requested that I execute a statutory declaration ahead of the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Barnard Castle who can attest and place their company stamp on the document?
Technically speaking you should not be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in Barnard Castle
Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Barnard Castle from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?
- Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Barnard Castle can be reduced if you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers’ representatives. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Barnard Castle leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. Where you fail to have the consents in place do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your solicitor in advance. A minority of Barnard Castle leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers. You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your solicitors. A purchaser's lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is under 80 years. It is therefore important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.
I purchased a leasehold flat in Barnard Castle, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in Barnard Castle with a long lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2086
With 61 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £18,100 and £20,800 plus costs.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.