Our grandson is in the process of securing a newly built flat in Brixton with a mortgage from HSBC. His solicitor has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. Who needs to receive the form?
The document is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the HSBC conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when requested. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the HSBC conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.
I am helping my niece sell her flat in Brixton. Does the solicitor commission the EPC or it is for the seller to see to?
Following the demise of Home Information Packs, EPC’s was left as a compulsory element of selling a house. An energy performance certificate should be commissioned in advance of the property being placed on the market. It is not something that lawyers ordinarily arrange. Where you are using a Brixton conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange energy assessments due to their relationships with reputable Brixton providers
My wife and I buying a victorian detached house in Brixton. Our aim is to convert the garage to an office at the property.Will the conveyancing process include investigations to determine if these alterations are prohibited?
Your conveyancer will check the deeds as conveyancing in Brixton can on occasion identify restrictions in the title deeds which restrict certain works or need the permission of another owner. Certain additions need local authority planning consent and approval in accordance building regulations. Some areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. It would be prudent to check these things with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.
Intending to buy a maisonette in Brixton. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the UBS conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Brixton conveyancing practitioner is on the UBS conveyancing panel.
The deeds to my property can not be found. The conveyancers who dealt with the conveyancing in Brixton 10 years ago have long since closed. What are my next steps?
Gone are the days when you need to hold title original deeds to prove you are the owner of your registered land or premises, given that the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.
How does conveyancing in Brixton differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Brixton approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is built. This is because developers in Brixton tend to purchase the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Brixton or who has acted in the same development.
I was advised by a few property agents in Brixton to select a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial advantage for Estate Agents to promote your lawyers ahead of another?
We refuse to offer any commission for sending work our way. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission because members of the public would think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.
The property lawyers handling our conveyancing in Brixton has sent documents to review that reveal that the property is unregistered with epitome documents. Is it not the case that all houses in Brixton are registered?
It is unusual for premises in Brixton to be unregistered. An 'epitome' is basically a dossier of photocopies of documents affecting an unregistered title. Plenty of Brixton conveyancing solicitors will be able to handle such matters but if any uncertainty prevails the usual recommendation presently is for the current owners to register the title first and subsequently deal with the transfer to the buyer - this will predictably cause a significant delay.