We are a couple about to sign contracts for a semi detached house in Chelmsford. We have hit a snag. The loan offer with Santander expires on 24/9/2026 but the owners are suggesting a completion date of 28/9/2026. Can one extend the mortgage expiry date?
The best person to deal with your question is your conveyancer who should assess if they corresponding with the mortgage company, seller’s conveyancers, selling agents or conceivably all parties based on what has gone on in your transaction to date.
My wife and I are buying a flat in Chelmsford. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a solicitor? On completion day we have to put money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Chelmsford. Conveyancing is required. What are my next steps?
Given that you are now for in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you now have to appoint a conveyancing practitioner soon as you are facing a tight a drop dead date to complete the conveyancing. All auction property will have a corresponding legal set of papers. This will include evidence of title and search results. In the case of leasehold property the legal papers should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork specific to leasehold premises. You must hand this to the solicitor working for you ASAP. You also need to ensure that you have funds organised to complete on the date specified in the contract.
I have instructed a Chelmsford solicitor having checked that they are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Kent Reliance will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Kent Reliance will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Chelmsford surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
What will a local search inform me regarding the house I am purchasing in Chelmsford?
Chelmsford conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company such as Onsearch The local search is essential in every Chelmsford conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any nasty surprises after you move into your property. The search will reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic sections.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Chelmsford is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Chelmsford are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Chelmsford you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Chelmsford may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.
I'm remortgaging my primary home to a BTL mortgage with Accord Mortgages Ltd and I will use the rest of the raised equity as a deposit on further house. The area we are looking at is Chelmsford. Will your lawyers be able to act for the two mortgage companies and link together the two deals?
Make use of our comparison tool on this page to check that the solicitors are approved by both banks. Assuming that they are your solicitor should be able to connect the two conveyancing matters but you should talk with you conveyancer and communicate your expectations and needs.
Last January I purchased a leasehold flat in Chelmsford. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
Chelmsford Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing
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In the main the cost for major works tend not to be wrapped into the maintenance charges, although there some managing agents in Chelmsford ask leaseholders to pay into a reserve fund and this is used to offset against larger works. The best form of lease arrangement is where the freehold title is owned by the leaseholders. In this scenario the leaseholders have control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is often retained if the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. Best to be warned whether redecorating or some other major work is due in the foreseeable future to be shared between the tenants and will materially increase the the maintenance fees or necessitate a one off payment.