It is is a decade since I acquired my property in Cirencester. Conveyancing lawyers have just been retained on the sale but I can't locate the deeds. Is this a major issue?
You need not be too concerned. First there is a chance that the deeds will be retained by your lender or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who handled your purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Cirencester relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it is more problematic but is not insurmountable.
I used Stirling Law several years ago for my conveyancing in Cirencester. Now, I need the files but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Cirencester of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I am looking for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and identified one near me in Cirencester I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Cirencester suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign 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 about this.
Am I right to be concerned that 3rd parties that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use an online conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Cirencester conveyancing firm?
As is the case with many professional services, often input from family and friends can be worth their weight in gold. Yet there are numerous people with a vested interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders might all suggest conveyancers to appoint. On occasion the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but occasionally there might be a financial incentive behind the endorsement. You have the right to appoint your own lawyer. You need to be aware that the majority of banks operate an approved list of law firms you are obliged to use for the mortgage related work in your transaction.
My husband and I are 3 weeks into a residential purchase having been recommend to a firm by the selling agent to do our conveyancing in Cirencester. I am am very frustrated with the level of service. Can you help me find new solicitors?
They would have to be very poor to suggest diss instructing them. Has your mortgage been issued? In the event that it has you must advise them of the new contact details and get the offer are re-issued. Your new solicitor ideally needs to be on the banks panel to avoid escalating costs and delays. So that should be your starting point. The find a solicitor tool will assist you in finding a lender approved solicitor for your conveyancing in Cirencester
I have just appointed agents to market my garden flat in Cirencester. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, however I have recently had a half-yearly service charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?
The sensible thing to do is discharge the maintenance contribution as you normally would because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
I inherited a 2 bed flat in Cirencester, conveyancing formalities finalised 8 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Cirencester with an extended lease are worth £175,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2084
You have 58 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £22,800 and £26,400 plus costs.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.