Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Hartlebury is not identified on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of her work?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Hartlebury conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
There are a variety of conveyancing solicitors in Hartlebury but how do I know who's good?
It would be unwise to be tempted by the cheapest Hartlebury conveyancing quote. You really do get what you’re paying 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.
My father informed me that in purchasing a property in Hartlebury there may be a number of restrictions prohibiting external alterations to the property. Is this right?
We are aware of a number of properties in Hartlebury which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to perform external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Hartlebury should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
I have finally had an offer on a flat in Hartlebury agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have offered on somewhere, however it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other flats in the pipeline. I have instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in Hartlebury. What do I do now? When do I get the mortgage application with Yorkshire BS going?
It is usual to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (home loan application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Hartlebury conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must ensure that your conveyancer is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. As to the next phase this very much depends on the uniqueness of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market some home buyers would apply for a home loan with Yorkshire BS and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their lawyer to proceed with searches.
What does a local search reveal regarding the property we're purchasing in Hartlebury?
Hartlebury conveyancing often commences with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search organisations such as Searchflow The local search is essential in every Hartlebury conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any unpleasant surprises after you move into your new home. The search will supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 topic areas.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £245,000 and found one close by in Hartlebury I like with a park and station in the vicinity, however it only has 51 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Hartlebury suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?
If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be problematic. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.
What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Hartlebury conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?
When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Hartlebury conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggest that you speak with two or three firms including non Hartlebury conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:
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If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason? How many lease extensions has the firm carried out in Hartlebury in the last twenty four months?
Hartlebury Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying
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Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability? Most Hartlebury leasehold properties will be liable to pay a service bill for the upkeep of the building set on behalf of the landlord. Where you purchase the property you will have to meet this contribution, normally quarterly during the year. This could differ from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge for you to pay annual, normally this is not a exorbitant sum, say about £50-£100 but you should to enquire as occasionally it could be prohibitively expensive. What is the name of the managing agents?
Why do I have to supply my property lawyer with numerous items of identification ahead of starting my conveyancing in Hartlebury?
Hartlebury conveyancers are duty bound by the Law Society, Solicitors Regulation Authority, HMLR and current AML legislation to record that the have checked the identity of their clients. It is also sometimes a requirement of your mortgage offer. Furthermore they have to complete various forms, particularly those relating to stamp duty land tax and need to have details such as your full names, NI number and DOB.