At long last a loan offer from Nationwide for the refinancing of my single bedroom garden flat is due within the next few days. Could you put forward a low cost conveyancing solicitor in Bedford?
You are on the wrong site if you are in need of the cheapest conveyancing in Bedford. We can offer you excellent value conveyancing but we do not advertise as being the cheapest. Do not be swayed by brokers seducing you with £99 conveyancing in Bedford. At best, in going for cheap conveyancing, you will get your money’s worth and at worst you will end up invoiced for additional fees and still not receive the service you were looking for.
As a novice what is the most important number one tip you can impart regarding purchase conveyancing in Bedford?
You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Bedford and elsewhere in England and Wales is often a confrontational process. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there exists plenty of opportunity for friction between you and others involved in the house moving process. E.g., the seller, selling agent and on occasion a lender. Choosing a law firm for your conveyancing in Bedford is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the legal process whose interest is to protect your legal interests and to protect you.
We are witnessing a distinct ongoing adversarial element to conveyancing- someone has to be at fault for the process being so protracted. We recommend that you your first instinct should be to trust your conveyancer ahead of the other players in the conveyancing process.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Bedford?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Bedford. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Bedford is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Bedford are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Bedford you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Bedford may determine 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 residence.
Am I best advised to use a Bedford conveyancing solicitor who is local to the property I am buying? An old friend can perform the legal formalities but his firm is located 400miles away.
The benefit of a high street Bedford conveyancing practice is that you can visit the firm to sign paperwork, present your identification documents and apply pressure on them where appropriate. Having local Bedford know how is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have used your friend and in the main were content that must surpass using an unfamiliar Bedford conveyancing lawyer just because they are based in the area.
Last January I purchased a leasehold house in Bedford. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?
Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
Bedford Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should ask before Purchasing
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Be sure to discover if there are any onerous restrictions in the lease. For example some leases prohibit pets being allowed in in a block in Bedford. If you love the flatin Bedford but your cat can’t live with you then you will be faced hard decision. Is there a share of the freehold? Does the lease have more than 90 years unexpired?