Find a Lender-Approved Local Conveyancer in Canterbury

We're in Canterbury, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Virgin Money , and our solicitor is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no solicitor should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

I have been told that property searches are the primary reason for delay in Canterbury house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the common causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Searches are not likely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Canterbury.

How does conveyancing in Canterbury differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Canterbury approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is ready to move into. This is because builders in Canterbury 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 conveyancers 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Canterbury or who has acted in the same development.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my uncle I am selling a residence in Swansea but live in Canterbury. My solicitor (approximately 200 miles awayneeds me to sign a statutory declaration before completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Canterbury to attest this legal document for me?

strictly speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or qualified solicitor will do regardless of whether they are located in Canterbury

We expect to complete the sale of our £475,000 apartment in Canterbury in just under a week. The management company has quoted £384 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Canterbury?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Canterbury conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

Completing pre-exchange enquiries Where consent is required before sale in Canterbury Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Canterbury leasehold premises is £350. For Canterbury conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply the information.

I bought a leasehold flat in Canterbury, conveyancing having been completed in 2005. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding properties in Canterbury with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease ends on 21st October 2096

With just 71 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

My cousin is buying a leasehold flat in Canterbury. He has received a fee estimate by the lawyer connected to the estate agents and it came to £1245 . It was seven years ago I sold and purchased a home and the bill was £500. Have charges really gone up that much?

We would recommend that you e-mail 3 or 4 local Canterbury conveyancing firms seeking estimates. You should base your choice not just on cost, but on promptness and on how comprehensive the reply was.