I am need of leasehold conveyancing for an apartment in a relatively new development (6 years built) in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont. Almost all the appartments are already sold. Is it strictly necessary to order local searches for my conveyancing in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont?
Where you are obtaining a mortgage, your lender will require some (many) of the searches so you'll have no choice. If not, then Gerrards Cross and Chalfont conveyancing searches are for you to decide upon. No doubt your conveyancer, will ’encourage’, perhaps strongly, that you should have the searches done, but he or she has a professional duty to do this. One thing to bear in mind; if you are likely to sell the house one day, it may be of interest to your future buyer what the searches contain. Sometimes houses with no practical issues can still throw up adverse search results. But if you choose to instruct your lawyer to proceed without searches then your lawyer will have to follow your instructions or you will need to change to another solicitor for your conveyancing in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as a first time purchaser of a two bedroom flat in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont. Do I collect the keys to the property on completion from my solicitor? If so, I will use a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the completion advance to the owner’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be able to pick up the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.
A friend advised me that in buying a property in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont there could be various restrictions affecting the ability to carry out external alterations to a property. Is this right?
There are a number of properties in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to perform external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
I've digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Gerrards Cross and Chalfont solicitor - who is on the TSB conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
TSB will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually TSB will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your property lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Gerrards Cross and Chalfont postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with TSB, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont.
I have todaybeen informed that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont for a purchase of a leasehold flat 12 months ago. How can I establish that my home is in my name in the name of the previous owner?
The quickest way to see if the property is registered to you, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Gerrards Cross and Chalfont conveyancing specialists.
How does conveyancing in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont contact us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is built. This is because house builders in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont typically acquire the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont or who has acted in the same development.
I have been on the look out for a flat up to £305k and identified one close by in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont I like with open areas and transport links nearby, however it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be problematic. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business offices in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont and how can you help?
The 1954 Act gives protection to commercial leaseholders, granting the a statutory right to apply to court for a renewal lease and remain in occupation at the end of an expired lease. There are limited grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Gerrards Cross and Chalfont is one of the hundreds of areas of the UK in which the firms we work with are based