Our Kent lawyer has discovered a difference when comparing the surveyor’s assumptions in the home valuation survey and what is in the title deeds. My solicitor has advised that he is duty bound to check that the bank is happy with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my conveyancer’s course or action legitimate?
Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.
I have been told that property searches are the number one cause of hinderance in Kent house deals. Is this right?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the most frequent causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Searches are not likely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in Kent.
How does conveyancing in Kent differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Kent contact us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because developers in Kent typically purchase the land, 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 used to new build conveyancing in Kent or who has acted in the same development.
Are there any apps to assist me to locate a Kent solicitor on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel? I have wheels and am willing to travel upto 20kilometers to meet the solicitor.
Feel free to make use of the tool on this website. Please pick a lender and your location and you will see a number of Kent conveyancing lawyers locally. We have detailed some Kent conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can telephone them to see if they are on the Leeds Building Society approved list
Looking forward to exchange soon on a basement flat in Kent. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?
Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Kent should include some of the following:
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Whether the lease restricts you from letting out the flat, or having a home office for business Does the lease prohibit wood flooring? An explanation concerning the obligations as set out in the lease to to contribute towards maintenance costs - in relation to the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has What options are open to you if another tenant in the building breaches a clause of their lease?
Kent Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying
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Please note if it is less than 80 years it will impact the value of the flat. Check with your mortgage company that they are happy with remaining years on the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would be required to have owned the residence for a couple of years before you are legally able to exercise a lease extension. How much is the ground rent and service charge? The best form of lease arrangement is if the freehold title is owned by the leaseholders. In this scenario the leaseholders have control and even though a managing agent is usually retained where it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.
Is planning permission needed to convert a house into two flats in Kent? This has been carried out to a house next door to my house in Kent and was unaware of it happening until it was done.
Planning permission is necessary for splitting a single house in Kent into flats but possibly not for converting back to single dwelling-house so, simply put, yes.