Last April we completed a house move in Greenwich. We have since encountered a number of problems with the house which we suspect were missed in the conveyancing searches. Do we have any recourse? Can you clarify the type of searches that needed to have been carried out as part of conveyancing in Greenwich?
It is not clear from the question as what problems have arisen and if they are relate to conveyancing in Greenwich. Conveyancing searches and due diligence initiated during the buying process are carried out to help avoid problems. As part of the process, a property owner answers a questionnaire known as a SPIF. answers ends up being misleading, then you may have a claim against the vendor for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Greenwich.
Is there a search tool that I can utilise to find out if the solicitor handling my conveyancing in Greenwich is on the bank’sapproved panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for HSBC Bank thus paying £192.00 in additional conveyancing costs.
Please do take advantage of the search tool on this web page. Pick the lender and type ‘Greenwich’ or your preferred area and you will see numerous solicitors offices in Greenwich or nearest you.
What is your number one tip for finding a conveyancing solicitor in Greenwich
We would encourage you not to base your choice on the lowest Greenwich conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unseasoned as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Greenwich. Do I collect the keys to the property on completion from my solicitor? If this is the case, I will use a local conveyancing solicitor in Greenwich?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the purchase money to the vendor’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you will be invited to receive the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.
I've read lots of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Greenwich solicitor - who is on the UBS conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
UBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually UBS 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 Greenwich postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with UBS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Greenwich.
Just bought a terraced house in Greenwich , how long will it take for the Land Registry to record my ownership? My Greenwich conveyancing solicitor has been very slow, so I want to be certain the post completion formalities are addressed.
There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Greenwich registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can adjust subject to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry have to notify any third parties. At present approximately 80% of submission are fully addressed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be extensive hold-ups. Historically registration takes place once the buyer is living at the property therefore an expedited registration is not typically primary concern but where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your conveyancer must communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.
I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Greenwich prior to instructing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. My surveyor has said that some banks will refuse to issue a mortgage on a flying freehold property.
It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different instructions from Halifax. If you e-mail us we can look into this further via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Greenwich. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
Is it simple use the search tool to locate a conveyancing practitioner in Greenwich on the approved list for my bank?
First choose a bank such as Nationwide Building Society, Skipton Building Society or Aldermore then type in your location e.g. Greenwich. Conveyancing organisations in Greenwich and beyond should be shown.