It is is a decade since I purchased my house in Berkeley. Conveyancing solicitors have just been retained on the sale but I am unable to find my deeds. Is this a major issue?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be retained by your mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who oversaw the purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Almost all conveyancing in Berkeley involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it is more tricky but is not insurmountable.
My property lawyer in Berkeley is not listed on the Alliance & Leicester Conveyancing Panel. Is it possible for me to use my family solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the Alliance & Leicester panel?
The limited options available to you here include:
- Complete the purchase with your existing Berkeley lawyers but Alliance & Leicester will need to use a conveyancer on their list of acceptable firms. This will result in additional total legal charges and result in frustration.
- Find a new lawyer to to deal with the conveyancing, remembering to check they are Alliance & Leicester approved.
- Persuade your Alliance & Leicester based solicitor to attempt to join the Alliance & Leicester panel
Just acquired a semi-detached house in Berkeley , how long will it take for the Land Registry to register my proprietorship? My Berkeley conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to be certain the registration is addressed.
There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Berkeley registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timeframes can adjust according to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry communicate with any other parties. Currently in the region of 80% of such applications are fully dealt with within 12 days but some can be subject to extensive hold-ups. Historically registration is effected once the new owner is living at the property so 'speed' is not usually top priority yet where there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your lawyers can speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and identified one round the corner in Berkeley I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, however it only has 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Berkeley in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?
Should you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.
My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Berkeley. Conveyancing and Yorkshire Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing practitioner in Berkeley who acted for me is not around. Any advice?
First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Berkeley conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.
I own a ground floor flat in Berkeley, conveyancing formalities finalised 4 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar properties in Berkeley with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease expires on 21st October 2097
With just 71 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus professional fees.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.
Whilst your website is a good idea there are many lawyers listed near Berkeley being on the mortgage company conveyancing panel. Can you recommend a specific firm on the lender approved panel?
We are not in the business of recommending one firm above another as the right Berkeley conveyancing solicitor for you depends on where your priorities lie. For example you may require a local firm with Berkeley knowledge or you might be looking for the low cost conveyancing. We recommend that you speak to 3 or 4 lawyers listed before you make your choice..