Is the fact that my conveyancer in Benton is not on my lender's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of his work?
It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the Benton conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in Benton but nevertheless charged rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in Benton and has limited impact for conveyancing in Benton but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.
Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of fresh rentcharges post 1977.
Previous rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 is to be extinguished.
The deeds to our home are lost. The lawyers who dealt with the conveyancing in Benton 10 years ago have long since closed. What do I do?
These day there are copies made of almost everything, and your solicitor will know exactly where to locate all the suitable paperwork so you can buy or dispose of your house without a hitch. If duplicates are not available, your lawyer can arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities against future claims on your property.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Benton is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can give?
Flying freeholds in Benton are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Benton you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Benton 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 residence.
How do I use the search facility to locate a conveyancing practitioner in Benton on the panel for my bank?
1st choose a bank such as Accord Mortgages Ltd, Chelsea Building Society or Platform Home Loans Ltd then type in your preferred area a common one being Benton. Conveyancing firms in Benton and across England and Wales should be identified.
Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Benton from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?
- A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Benton can be avoided where you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers. If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Benton state that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. Where you fail to have the paperwork to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your conveyancer first. If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing. If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Obtaining a new share certificate is often a lengthy process and slows down many a Benton conveyancing deal. If a reissued share certificate is required, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
Benton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to buying
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Many Benton leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service bill for the upkeep of the building levied by the freeholder. Where you purchase the flat you will have to meet this amount, usually in instalments accross the year. This can be anything from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large communal areas. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant amount, say approximately £25-£75 but you should to check it because sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds. Who manages the block?