Is there a reason to instruct a Clapham conveyancing solicitors firm given that online conveyancers are more affordable?
By all means make sure that you scrutinise conveyancing costs in Clapham and you should seek a competitive fee calculation but don’t waste your energy scouring the internet for the lowest priced Clapham conveyancer. Identifying the right conveyancer can mark the distinction between a seamless and a distressing move. It is important that you ensure that you have expert advice from a specialist conveyancer. Emails can't be as helpful as a telephone call and can never replicate a face to face appointment. The firms that we work with will appoint you a qualified and experienced conveyancing solicitor who can tackle your conveyancing from from the outset to completion, providing a level of hand holding that you are unlikely to received from an web based conveyancer. Our lawyers will update you as to any developments making sure that you are never in the dark. Should it ever be necessary to phone the office you will know who you need to speak to and they will endeavour to make sure that you are in the know.
My partner and I are only a couple days away from an exchange on a flat in Clapham and my mum and dad have sent the ten percent deposit to my conveyancer. I am now told that as the deposit has not arrived from me my conveyancing practitioner needs to make a notification to my bank. Apparently, in also acting for the bank he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I disclosed to the lender concerning my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really appropriate for this now to delay the deal?
The lawyer is duty bound to clarify with lender to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. The solicitor can only notify this to your lender if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
It is 10 years ago since I bought my house in Clapham. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been instructed on the sale but I am unable to find my title documents. Is this a problem?
You need not be too concerned. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be kept by the lender or they could stored with the conveyancers who oversaw the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Clapham relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your property is unregistered it is more of a problem but is not insurmountable.
My husband and I have arranged a further advance on our home loan from Lloyds as we want to carry out a loft conversion to our home in Clapham. Do we need to select a local Clapham solicitor on the Lloyds conveyancing panel to handle the legals?
Lloyds do not ordinarily instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to handle such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Lloyds list.
The mortgage over my property is with HSBC for my property in Clapham. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform HSBC?
HSBC must be informed of your intention in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of HSBC’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 HSBC directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a HSBC conveyancing panel lawyer.
I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Bank of Ireland. Is it usual for Bank of Ireland to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Clapham is approved on their conveyancing panel? Bank of Ireland have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Bank of Ireland to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
A colleague suggested that if I am purchasing in Clapham I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
A search of this type is usually included in the estimate for your Clapham conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Clapham around the property and the people living there. It incorporates 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 House Prices, Crime details, Clapham Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Clapham.
Harry (my fiance) and I may need to rent out our Clapham ground floor flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Clapham conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?
Notwithstanding that your last Clapham conveyancing solicitor is no longer available you can check your lease to check if you are permitted to let out the property. The accepted inference is that if the lease is silent, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you are obliged to seek consent via your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet in the absence of prior consent. Such consent is not allowed to be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If the lease prohibits you from subletting the property you should ask your landlord for their consent.
I am the leaseholder of a ground-floor 1960’s flat in Clapham. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the premium due for a lease extension?
Absolutely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Clapham conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Clapham property is 23 Chelsham Road in May 2013. the Tribunal found that the sum of £13,870.00 was payable for the freehold following a vestig order having been granted by Swansea County Court dated 1st March 2013 This case related to 3 flats. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 99 years.