We are a couple about to sign contracts for a freehold house in Grove. We have hit a stumbling block. Our mortgage offer with Clydesdale runs out on 13/1/2025 but the sellers are suggesting a completion date of 15/1/2025. Is it possible to extend the mortgage expiry date?
The person best placed to deal with your concern is your solicitors who will determine whether he or she is corresponding with the mortgage company, seller’s conveyancers, selling agents or indeed all three given what has gone on in your transaction to date.
I can see plenty of here regarding conveyancing in Grove but can you isolate your top tip for appointing the right conveyancer in Grove
We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Grove conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. 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 go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Grove. I have a mortgage offer with Co-operative. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Co-operative, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.
I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Grove. My mortgage broker recommended their conveyancers. I paid an upfront payment of £150. Soon after, the solicitor contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Kent Reliance 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 Kent Reliance 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.
I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our property in Grove and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed land that was not decontaminated. Any high street Grove lawyer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the purchasers are using a factory type conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Grove. We have lived in Grove for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation that there is no issue.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. What do they say? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same ailment)
How does conveyancing in Grove differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Grove contact us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is constructed. This is because builders in Grove tend to acquire the real estate, 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 conveyancers 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Grove or who has acted in the same development.
Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Grove ahead of retaining solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the property. My surveyor advised that some mortgage companies will refuse to give a loan on this type of house.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions from Nationwide. Should you wish to call us we can check via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Grove. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Grove from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?
- A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Grove can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information needed by the buyers’ solicitors. If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Obtaining a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming formality and slows down many a Grove conveyancing transaction. If a duplicate share is needed, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later. You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable verify this by asking your solicitors. A buyer’s conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is under 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. If there is a history of conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved before the property is put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic rather than ongoing.
Grove Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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Is there a share of the freehold? How long is the Lease?