My partner and I have arranged the release of further funds on our mortgage from Co-operative as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our home in Charing Cross. Are we obliged to select a bricks and mortar Charing Cross solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel to handle the legals?
Co-operative do not ordinarily instruct firms on their conveyancing panel to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.
I have paid off my mortgage with Barclays. I assume I don't need a Charing Cross conveyancer on the Barclays panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Barclays mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Barclays mortgage from the register. Barclays, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Barclays has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Barclays has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Charing Cross. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?
Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.
A colleague advised me that if I am purchasing in Charing Cross I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is usually quoted for as part of the standard Charing Cross conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Charing Cross around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Charing Cross.
2 months have gone by following my purchase conveyancing in Charing Cross took place. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £160,000. Why the discrepancy?
The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.
I'm purchasing a new build house in Charing Cross with the aid of help to buy. The builders refused to move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep told me not reveal to my lawyer about the extras as it will affect my mortgage with Virgin Money. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one close by in Charing Cross I like with amenity areas and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 52 years on the lease. There is not much else in Charing Cross suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?
Should you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.
My company is wishing to take over a lease of an office on a shopping parade. Can you recommend conveyancers offering no-sale-no charges for non-domestic conveyancing in Charing Cross for under £1,200?
We are happy to recommend firms who host a wealth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Charing Cross, including the sale and acquisition of businesses as well as simply property. If you are looking to buy or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail unit or a complete business we can find you the right lawyer. As for the charges this will depend on the structure and complexity of the deal. Let us have your details or email so as to enable us to supply you with a fixed commercial conveyancing quote.