It is a dozen years since I acquired my home in Cranham. Conveyancing solicitors have just been retained on the sale but I am unable to track down the title documents. Is this a major issue?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be retained by your lender or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who acted in your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring up to date copy of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Cranham involves registered property but in the rare situation where your home is unregistered it is more of a problem but is resolvable.
My lawyer has informed me that breach of easement insurance is needed on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Cranham conveyancing?
The right level of breach of easement indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between HSBC Bank and Coventry Building Society. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.
I happen to be the single recipient of my late grandmother’s estate and I have everything in my name now, including the my former home in Cranham. The Cranham property was put into my name in December. I want to move. I understand that there is a Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', meaning my property ownership could be treated the same way as though I had purchased the house in December. Will no one buy the property for half a year?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook mandates conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you could be affected by that. How sensible a view mortgage companies take of it, depend on the bank as this provision is principally there to capture subsales or the quick reselling of property.
We expect to receive a OIP from Coventry BS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Coventry BS recommend any Cranham solicitors on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Cranham solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Coventry BS through the process.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Cranham is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can impart?
Flying freeholds in Cranham are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Cranham you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Cranham may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my commercial premises in Cranham and how can your lawyers assist?
The particular law that you refer to gives security of tenure to business lessees, giving them the dueness to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act for protection and assist with commercial conveyancing in Cranham
Is it best to choose a Cranham conveyancing practitioner in close proximity to the house I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can execute the legal work however his firm is located over three hundred miles away.
The primary upside of using a local Cranham conveyancing firm is that you can attend the office to execute paperwork, hand in your ID and pester them if necessary. They will also have local knowledge which is a bonus. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who used your friend and they were content that should outweigh using an unfamiliar Cranham conveyancing lawyer just because they are round the corner.
Can you set out some of specific advantages to using a local conveyancing practitioner in Cranham
Many purchasers and sellers in Cranham decide on using a nearby high street solicitor so that they can attend the firm’s offices if they have concerns, and to execute paperwork rather than relying on the Royal Mail.
There is a marginal benefit in using a property lawyer nearby to a premises you are hoping to purchase, due to the in-depth knowledge of the area and potential local issues - however this is moot. Many conveyancers are now online and may be anywhere in the world.