I can't travel far from Ickenham. I would like to know the logic why all Ickenham lawyers aren't automatically on all lender panels?
Even though it may seem unfair for lenders to restrict who can represent them, from the public’s or lawyer’s perspective, the the contrary view is that lending institutions are increasingly anxious and feel it necessary to defend themselves from illegal activities. As a consequence of this concern banks are limiting their panel of approved conveyancing lawyers to a manageable size.
I have 71 years unexpired on my lease and need a lease extension for my flat in Ickenham. Conveyancing solicitors on the Virgin panel can deal with such extensions correct?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 15/11/2024 the requirements read as follows :
I can see plenty of information on this site concerning conveyancing in Ickenham but can you isolate your top tip for choosing the right conveyancer in Ickenham
Do not opt for the cheapest Ickenham conveyancing fees. 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 time.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Ickenham. I have a mortgage agreed with RBS. 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 have 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 RBS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the RBS conveyancing panel.
Barclays have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a property in Ickenham has been agreed to, what are the next steps?
The estate agent will wish to know who your solicitors are (be sure the conveyancing practitioners are on the bank’s panel). Call up Barclays or your financial adviser and finalise any relevant forms. Barclays will appoint a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or owners to schedule an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes approximately ten days for the mortgage offer to be issued. Barclays will issue the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Ickenham.
I used Action Conveyancing a few years ago for my conveyancing in Ickenham. I now require my file but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Ickenham of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Are there any apps to help locate a Ickenham law firm on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel? I drive a motor bike and am willing to travel upto 25kilometers to meet the lawyer.
You can use the tool on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of Ickenham conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have detailed some Ickenham conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can telephone them to see whether they are on the Bank of Scotland approved list
Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Ickenham from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?
- Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Ickenham can be reduced if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ solicitors. If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you hold the original share document. Organising a new share certificate can be a lengthy process and delays many a Ickenham home move. Where a new share certificate is necessary, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible. A minority of Ickenham leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers. If you have had conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be concerned about purchasing a property where a dispute is unresolved. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or settle 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 will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic rather than unsettled. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Ickenham state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. If you dont have the approvals in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in the first instance.
I own a first floor flat in Ickenham. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum payable for a lease extension?
Most definitely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Ickenham conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension case for a Ickenham residence is Flat 72 Queens Walk in January 2013. The Tribunals calculated the premium payable to be £22,090. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 53.26 years.