When will exchange of contracts happen for sale conveyancing in Berkshire and do I need to attend the solicitors office?
Where you are in close proximity to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Berkshire you are invited in to sign the paperwork. However, the firms we work with offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide as equally detailed and professional a job for you when communicating with you digitally. The executing of the property agreement is not when everything is set in stone. A signed contract simply enables the firm to exchange contracts when the time is right, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The exchange process is is usually a five minute process, although where a long "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Berkshire)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.
We are purchasing a 3 bedroom semi in Berkshire. We would like to carry out an extension to the side at the house.Will legal work on the property involve investigations to ascertain if these works were previously refused?
Your solicitor should check the registered title as conveyancing in Berkshire can sometimes identify restrictions in the title documents which restrict categories of changes or need the permission of a 3rd party. Many additions require local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.
I currently have a mortgage with Yorkshire BS for my property in Berkshire. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Yorkshire BS?
You must advise Yorkshire BS prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Yorkshire BS’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Yorkshire BS directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel firm.
Our offer on a property in Berkshire has been agreed to, the vendors do nevertheless have a dependent purchase. The owners have placed an offer on somewhere, but it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Berkshire. What should be my next step? At what stage should I apply for the mortgage with Santander?
It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (home loan application is approx £1k, then valuation, Berkshire conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must ensure that your solicitor is on the Santander approved list. As to the subsequent steps this very much dictated by the specifics of your transaction, desire for this property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market some buyers would apply for the mortgage with Santander and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they ask their conveyancer to press on with the conveyancing in Berkshire.
We are selling our property in Berkshire and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built land that was not decontaminated. A high street Berkshire conveyancer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers instructed a web based conveyancing outfit rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Berkshire. Having lived in Berkshire for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to obtain clarification need.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You need to 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 sickness)
Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Berkshire I like with open areas and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 49 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Berkshire suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?
If you need a mortgage that many years will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.
I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor for purchase conveyancing in Berkshire. I happened to discover a site which looks to be the ideal solution If it is possible to get all formalities completed via web that would be preferable. Should I be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Berkshire conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?
If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Berkshire conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggest that you speak with several firms including non Berkshire conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be helpful:
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What are the charges for lease extension work? How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?
I inherited a 1st floor flat in Berkshire, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Berkshire with an extended lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2087
With only 62 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £17,100 and £19,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.