Why would one use a Christchurch conveyancing solicitors firm when national conveyancers are cheap by comparison?
By all means make sure that you contrast conveyancing costs in Christchurch and you should seek an affordable estimate but don’t become consumed with searching for the lowest priced Christchurch conveyancer. Appointing the right conveyancer can be the distinction between a seamless and a distressing move. It is important that you ensure that you have expert guidance from a specialist conveyancer. An e-mail can never replace a phone call and are no substitute for a face to face meeting. Our partner firms will appoint you a qualified and trusted conveyancing solicitor who can deal with your conveyancing from from the outset to completion, providing a level of hand holding that you rarely receive from an online conveyancer. He or She will inform you on any developments and keep you informed. Should it ever be necessary to phone the firm you will be sure who you need to speak to and they will endeavour to make sure that you are kept fully informed.
Why is leasehold purchase conveyancing in Christchurch costs more?
The conveyancing fees for a leasehold premises in Christchurch is frequently greater as compared to a freehold acquisition or disposal. This is because there is an amount of supplemental work required in corresponding with the freeholder and managing agents to collate the evidence concerning whether the rent and maintenance fee have been cleared and whether there are any major works due in the foreseeable future on repairs or maintenance of the block.
I am purchasing a end of terrace house in Christchurch. The intention is to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will the conveyancing process include enquiries to determine if these alterations are prohibited?
Your property lawyer will review the registered title as conveyancing in Christchurch can sometimes identify restrictions in the title documents which restrict certain alterations or necessitated the permission of a 3rd party. Certain extensions call for local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Some locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be sensible to check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
Is it the case that all Christchurch solicitors on the Barclays conveyancing panel are governed by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Barclays approved list of solicitors they would need to be governed by the SRA. The majority of lenders do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the practice would be governed by the CLC.
I was told four weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by TSB. Is it usual for TSB to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Christchurch is approved on their conveyancing panel? TSB have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance Schedule.
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for TSB to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the TSB conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
My wife and I have a renovated Georgian house in Christchurch. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and The Royal Bank of Scotland. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for 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 Christchurch and other locations in 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 question the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.
How does conveyancing in Christchurch differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Christchurch come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is ready to move into. This is because new home sellers in Christchurch tend to acquire the land, 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 Christchurch or who has acted in the same development.
What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Christchurch conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?
If you are instructing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Christchurch conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with two or three firms including non Christchurch conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be useful:
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How many lease extensions have they carried out in Christchurch in the last 12 months?
I invested in buying a garden flat in Christchurch, conveyancing was carried out in 2012. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Christchurch with over 90 years remaining are worth £195,000. The ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease ends on 21st October 2090
With only 64 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £14,300 and £16,400 plus costs.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.