Is the fact that my conveyancer in Bicester is not on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s work?
That would most likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 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. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Bicester conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
I am assisting my aunt sell her house in Bicester. Will the conveyancer order the energy assessment or should I organise this?
After the abolition of HIPs, energy assessments remained a required element of moving house. An energy assessment must be to hand in advance of the property being advertised. It is not as aspect of the sale process that conveyancers ordinarily organise. If you are instructing a Bicester conveyancing practitioner they may be willing to arrange energy performance certificates given their contacts with reputable Bicester accredited person
We expect to receive a AIP from Nationwide this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Nationwide recommend any Bicester solicitors on the Nationwide conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Bicester solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Nationwide through the process.
I have finally had an offer on a maisonette in Bicester accepted, but there is a chain. The owners have placed an offer on a property, but it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other flats booked. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Bicester. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with Barclays started?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (mortgage application is approx one thousand pounds, then valuation, Bicester conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Regarding the subsequent phase this very much dictated by the specifics of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market the majority of home buyers would apply for the mortgage with Barclays and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their conveyancer to proceed with searches.
Should my conveyancer be raising enquiries about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Bicester.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Bicester. There are those who purchase a house in Bicester, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.
Conveyancers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a various searches that can be undertaken by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Bicester. The standard completed inquiry forms supplied to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a usual inquiry of the owner to find out if the property has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred and is not disclosed by the vendor, then a purchaser may commence a claim for damages as a result of such an incorrect reply. A buyer’s conveyancers may also order an environmental report. This will higlight if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations will need to be made.
I purchased a renovated Georgian property in Bicester. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Bank of Ireland. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. Is it worth asking Bank of Ireland to clarify?
You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Bicester and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.
Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Bicester. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.
Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Bicester - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.
I bought a studio flat in Bicester, conveyancing formalities finalised September 2002. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable flats in Bicester with an extended lease are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2100
You have 75 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £8,600 and £9,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.
We have been informed by many estate agents to expect 6-8 weeks for Bicester conveyancing to complete.This was a month ago. The property information was only sent from the vendors conveyancer a couple of days ago so now does it countdown?
Don't bank on completing on a certain date until exchange of contracts occurs. Whatever assurances the people you are purchasing from or selling to make, or your estate agent provides don't bank on them. More stress is caused to buyers and sellers by false assurances than any other issue when it comes to conveyancing in Bicester.