I have given 8 weeks notice to my current landlord and must leave my rented property in Godmanchester by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase has just started. Is it possible to complete in six weeks as don't want to have to move into temporary accommodation?
It is unwise to serve notice for your lease until your lawyer suggests that you should. Assuming that you have not previously done so, notify to your conveyancer and request that they chase the sellers side, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will look to achieve
I own a freehold property in Godmanchester but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?
It is rare for properties in Godmanchester and has limited impact for conveyancing in Godmanchester but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.
Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.
Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.
I am due to move property in October. Will my conveyancing solicitor update the removal company on the day of completion. Incidentally, can you put forward a removal company in Godmanchester. Conveyancing firm was found before I stumbled across your site.
On the afternoon of completion you will need to pick up the house keys from your selling agent but this can only take place after the previous owners lawyers inform the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be handed over. Subsequently you can inform the removal men that you are ready to move in. As a matter of policy we do not recommend a particular removal company but can help you choose a residential property solicitor in Godmanchester or a lawyer that specialises in conveyancing in Godmanchester.
I recently had an offer agreed on a house in Godmanchester. My financial adviser suggested a lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £175. Soon after, the lawyer called me to say that they were not on the UBS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the UBS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Having digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Godmanchester solicitor - who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Skipton will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Skipton 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 conveyancing practitioner 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 Godmanchester postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Skipton, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Godmanchester.
About to purchase a new build flat in Godmanchester. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.
Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Godmanchester
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Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. 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.
I opted to have a survey done on a property in Godmanchester in advance of appointing lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor has said that some banks may not grant a loan on this type of home.
It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further with the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Godmanchester. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Godmanchester. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Godmanchester ?
Most houses in Godmanchester are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Godmanchester in which case you should be shopping around for a Godmanchester conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.
I acquired a split level flat in Godmanchester, conveyancing was carried out 9 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Comparable properties in Godmanchester with over 90 years remaining are worth £265,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2102
With just 76 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £8,600 and £9,800 plus professional fees.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.