I am purchasing a property in Ellesmere Port. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Nottingham have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Nottingham your lawyer must check the conveyancing requirements set out in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nottingham. The CML Handbook sets out minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Nottingham where a lease fails to satisfy these conditions. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not restricted to Ellesmere Port.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Co-operative. I assume I don't need a Ellesmere Port conveyancing practitioner on the Co-operative panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Co-operative mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Co-operative mortgage from the register. Co-operative, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Co-operative has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Co-operative has instructed the Land Registry to do so
It is not clear whether my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Ellesmere Port building society branch on a couple of occasions and was reassured it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Ellesmere Port conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called and was told they will not lend based on their published requirements. Who do I believe?
The lawyer must follow the CML Handbook Part 2 provisions for your lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.
My colleague advised me that where I am purchasing in Ellesmere Port I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Ellesmere Port conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Ellesmere Port around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Ellesmere Port Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Ellesmere Port.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business property in Ellesmere Port and how can your lawyers assist?
The 1954 Act provides a safeguard to business tenants, giving them the legal entitlement to make a request to court for a new tenancy and remain in occupation at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are involved. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing practices who use the act for protection and handle your commercial conveyancing in Ellesmere Port
Is it best to use a Ellesmere Port conveyancing practitioner based in the vicinity that I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can execute the conveyancing however his firm is located over three hundred kilometers drive away.
The benefit of a local Ellesmere Port conveyancing firm is that you can visit the firm to execute paperwork, deliver your ID and pester them if necessary. Having local Ellesmere Port know how is a benefit. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who instructed your friend and the majority were happy that should outweigh using an unfamiliar Ellesmere Port conveyancing solicitor just because they are Ellesmere Port based.
I've recently bought a leasehold property in Ellesmere Port. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?
Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee 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. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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 acquired a basement flat in Ellesmere Port, conveyancing formalities finalised 10 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent flats in Ellesmere Port with a long lease are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2081
With just 56 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as professional fees.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.
We have recently had an offer accepted on our first house in Ellesmere Port, and need to get solicitors appointed. We have made use of the various rating tools and the results are from all across the the UK. Is it critical to have a Ellesmere Port property lawyer local to our potential new home? We are happy to do everything electronically, but I assume at some point we will be required to visit the conveyancer's office to sign contracts?
The conveyancing practitioner does not need to be in Ellesmere Port, but choosing local means that you can visit their offices if required, for instance, if a signature is immediately necessary. Also, a Ellesmere Port solicitor is likely to be familiar with local agents and (if the vendor has instructed a local property lawyer) with them, which should help keep things moving faster.