Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Cottenham is more expensive?
In short, leasehold conveyancing in Cottenham and Cambridgeshire usually warrants extra due diligence compared to freehold conveyancing. This includes checking the lease terms, communicating with the landlord about the service of appropriate notices, procuring up-to-date service charge and management information, procuring the freeholder’s consents and reviewing management accounts. The obligations on both the landlord and the tenant in the lease need to be studied by the buyer’s conveyancing team and read from beginning to end – regardless of the fact the lease has passed through many different property solicitors hands since it was first granted.
My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Cottenham. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £8000. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to UBS, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?
If you plan to re-mortgage then UBS will require that you use a conveyancer on the UBS conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your UBS conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the UBS mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
I am buying a property in Cottenham. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Coventry BS have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Coventry BS your lawyer must follow the conveyancing requirements outlined in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Coventry BS. The CML Handbook sets out minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancers are required to report to Coventry BS where a lease does not comply with these conditions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not isolated to Cottenham.
My husband and I are at the point of viewing flats in Cottenham and I am about to put in an offer. Is it wise to have my lawyer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a mortgage with UBS.
It would be sensible to start your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their contact information on to the estate agent. Given that you are seeking a mortgage with UBS, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the UBS conveyancing panel.
My offer was accepted on an apartment in Cottenham on 12/5/2025, valuation was booked five days after, received a clean bill of health. Conveyancer retained, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Aldermore and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Aldermore to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
How straightforward is it to use the search app to find a conveyancing practitioner in Cottenham on the approved list for my lender?
Step one is to select a mortgage company such as Santander, Chelsea Building Society or Platform Home Loans Ltd then specify your preferred area for instance Cottenham. Conveyancing firms in Cottenham and beyond should be shown.
My brother has suggested that I appoint his lawyers for conveyancing in Cottenham. Do I follow his guidance?
Much as we are happy to recommend a Cottenham conveyancing lawyer it’s preferable to choose a conveyancing lawyer is to get referrals from friends or relatives who have previously instructed the firm you're considering.
Me and my husband accepted an offer on a Cottenham ground floor flat left to us 8 years ago in 2012. I have over a decades worth of conveyancing experience and, although retired, intend to do the conveyancing. The purchaser's solicitor has informed me that their bank will not allow us to do our own conveyancing insisting the funds to be transferred to a solicitor's bank account.
Lending requirements to conveyancing practitioners from all mainstream lenders specify that If the seller is not legally represented the purchaser’s lawyers should check whether the mortgage company needs to be informed so that a decision can be made if they are willing to move forward.