Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Henleaze is not on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of her conveyancing?
That would most likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable 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 most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor 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 contact the Henleaze conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
I am buying a terraced house in Henleaze. Can I do my own conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Henleaze you will have to appoint a solicitor on your mortgage company's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Henleaze.
I am expecting a DIP from Santander this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Santander recommend any Henleaze solicitors on the Santander conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Henleaze solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Santander conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Santander through the process.
I currently have a mortgage with UBS for my property in Henleaze. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform UBS?
You must advise UBS in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of UBS’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact UBS directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a UBS conveyancing panel solicitor.
It is not clear whether my lender obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Henleaze building society branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they will lend. My Henleaze conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they refuse to lend in accordance with their published requirements. Who do I believe?
Provided that the conveyancer is on the lender approved list, they must comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.
Is it necessary to pay for insurance to address the risk of chancel repairs when purchasing a house in Henleaze?
Unless a previous purchase of the property took place post 12 October 2013 you could expect conveyancing practitioners conducting conveyancing in Henleaze to remain recommending a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Henleaze. Before diving in I would like to find out the remaining lease term.
If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Henleaze - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.
I inherited a basement flat in Henleaze, conveyancing formalities finalised 6 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Henleaze with a long lease are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2101
With only 76 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £8,600 and £9,800 plus legals.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.
What is the reason for new build conveyancing in Henleaze being more expensive?
Conveyancing in Henleaze for newly converted or new build premises often involve adoption of highways & drains, building regulations approval, planning permission, new build warranties such NHBC as well as further questions and contractual considerations.