Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Church End is more expensive?
The conveyancing costs on a leasehold property in Church End is inevitably higher as compared to a freehold property. This is because there is an amount of supplemental work required in liaising with the freeholder and management company to collate the information about whether the rent and maintenance charges have been cleared and whether there are any large sums expected to be spent in the near future on repairs or maintenance of the building.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Church End. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Skipton be concerned?
Given that your lender is Skipton your lawyer must follow the formal requirements contained in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Skipton. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to Skipton where a lease does not meet these conditions. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not restricted to Church End.
I currently have a mortgage with Skipton for my property in Church End. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Skipton?
Skipton must be informed of your intention prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Skipton’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Skipton directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Skipton conveyancing panel solicitor.
Nationwide have agreed my home loan in principle, my offer on a house in Church End has been accepted, what are the next steps?
Your estate agent will need to be informed of your solicitor's details (ensure that the solicitors are on the bank’s approved list). Call up Nationwide or your broker and finish off any outstanding paperwork. Nationwide will appoint a valuer who will get in contact with the selling agent or seller to schedule a slot for the valuation to occur. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes approximately ten days to receive the mortgage offer. Nationwide will issue the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Church End.
Will my solicitor be making enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Church End.
Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers carrying out conveyancing in Church End. There are those who acquire a property in Church End, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the buyer.
Conveyancers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that may be carried out by the buyer or by their lawyers which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Church End. The standard information given to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a standard inquiry of the seller to find out whether the premises has suffered from flooding. If the residence has been flooded in past which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a purchaser could bring a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading reply. A buyer’s conveyancers should also commission an environmental report. This should higlight whether there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be conducted.
In what way does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my business property in Church End and how can you help?
The particular law that you refer to gives a safeguard to business lessees, giving them the right to make a request to court for a renewal lease and continue in occupation when the lease comes to an end. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are involved. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Church End is one of our hundreds of areas of the UK in which our lawyers are located
I am looking for a conveyancing lawyer in Church End for my house move. Is there any facility to review a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?
You may review presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from investigations commenced on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes monitor telephone calls for training reasons.
My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Church End. Conveyancing and Platform Home Loans Ltd mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing solicitor in Church End who previously acted has now retired. Do I pay?
First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to instruct a Church End conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without success. Can one make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Church End conveyancing firm to represent me?
Where there is a missing freeholder or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant legislation it is possible to make an application to the LVT to judgment on the price.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Church End property is Ground Floor 110 Station Road in June 2013. The Tribunal found that the premium payable for a lease extension should be £31,665. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 56.65 years.