This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as a first time purchaser of a two bedroom flat in Hove. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on completion from my lawyer? If so, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Hove?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the purchase money to the seller's solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be called to receive the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.
I have paid off my mortgage with UBS. I assume I don't need a Hove lawyer on the UBS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your UBS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the UBS mortgage from the register. UBS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where UBS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- UBS has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Hove. I have a mortgage offer with UBS. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. 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 UBS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the UBS conveyancing panel.
How does conveyancing in Hove differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Hove come to us having been asked by the builder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is constructed. This is because builders in Hove usually purchase the site, 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 Hove or who has acted in the same development.
Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Hove before appointing lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor advised that some banks tend not issue a mortgage on such a property.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to telephone us we can check via the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Hove. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Hove especially if they are familiar with such properties in Hove.
I need to find a conveyancing solicitor for remortgage conveyancing in Hove. I happened to stumble upon a site which appears to be the ideal answer If it is possible to get all this stuff completed via phone that would be ideal. Should I be wary? What are the potential pitfalls?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
I work for a long established estate agent office in Hove where we have experienced a number of flat sales derailed due to short leases. I have received inconsistent advice from local Hove conveyancing firms. Could you confirm whether the owner of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?
Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser need not have to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Hove - Examples of Queries before buying
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Most Hove leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service charge for the upkeep of the building levied on behalf of the management company. If you acquire the apartment you will have to meet this charge, usually in instalments throughout the year. This could be anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal grounds. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a significant sum, say around £25-£75 but you should to enquire it because occasionally it can be many hundreds of pounds. What prohibitions exist in the Hove Lease?
I am looking to buy a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Hove who is on the lender solicitor panel. Can you recommend a Hove or local Hove conveyancing firm?
Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for the mortgage company who do conveyancing in Hove. We dont recommend any particular firm.