My partner and I are intent on buying an apartment in Eccleston. My lawyer is not listed on the bank conveyancing panel. Is it possible for me to use my Eccleston conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the bank panel?
You must use a conveyancer to deal with the formalities if you require a loan to purchase your home. They will carry out all the appropriate due diligence on the property, make sure that you’re registered as proprietor and ensure that all the necessary mortgage paperwork is in order. One may appoint a Eccleston solicitor of your choosing. However, where the conveyancing practitioner appointed is not on the lender approved list further fees will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by them. Bank panel applications can be submitted, so where your conveyancer has not in the past applied for membership they should take the chance to apply.
The Eccleston conveyancing solicitors that just started acting on my purchase in Eccleston have suddenly closed. They were on acting for me because I had to have a firm on the Skipton conveyancing panel and my preferred Eccleston lawyer was not. I cut them a cheque for £250 in advance. What should be my next steps?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know straight away so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Skipton conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers should be in a position to assist.
My wife and I own a semi-detached Victorian property in Eccleston. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Chelsea Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. Is it worth asking Chelsea Building Society to clarify?
You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Eccleston and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also check the position with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.
I am buying a new build flat in Eccleston. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.
Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Eccleston
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The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier?
Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Eccleston before retaining conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the property. The surveyor has said that some mortgage companies will not give a loan on this type of house.
It varies from the lender to lender. Bank of Scotland has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can check via the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Eccleston. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
I've recently bought a leasehold house in Eccleston. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
I inherited a split level flat in Eccleston, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Eccleston with an extended lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2082
With 58 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £22,800 and £26,400 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.