I require conveyancing for an apartment in a relatively new development (five years built) in Kent. Almost all the appartments have already been sold. Is it really necessary to order neighbourhood searches as part of conveyancing in Kent?
Conveyancing Searches are a central link in the Kent conveyancing process. There are numerous companies conducting Kent conveyancing searches, as well direct from the local authority. These are generally termed personal search providers and they produce, not surprisingly, personal searches. Nevertheless, all Local Authority Search conveyancing products have one thing in common - they must obtain their information from the local authoritative source.
We're in Kent, First timers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Barclays , and our solicitor is on the Barclays conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
What does a local search tell me concerning the house we're buying in Kent?
Kent conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search organisations for instance PSG The local search plays a central role in many a Kent conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any nasty once you have moved into your property. The search should supply data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable 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 subject sections.
I used Arc property Solicitors several years past for my conveyancing in Kent. Now, I need the documents but the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate 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 Kent of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Kent both have approximately 50 years left on the leases. should I be concerned?
There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Kent is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the salability of the property. For most purchasers and mortgage companies, leases with under 75 years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Kent conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
Kent Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying
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How is the lease structured? Be sure to find out if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. For example it is reasonably common in Kent leases that pets are not allowed in in a block in Kent. If you like the propertyin Kent yet your cat is not allowed to move with you then you have a very difficult determination. You will want to find out as much as possible regarding the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day matters such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask other people if they are happy with them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending that money.
We have been told by many estate agents to expect 6-8 weeks for Kent conveyancing to complete.This was four weeks ago. The draft contract was only sent from the vendors solicitor last week so does the time start running now?
You should treat with suspicion of any lawyer guaranteeing fast completion times. Instead ask the average timeframe to complete Kent conveyancing transactions and whether they are willing to aim towards an agreed target date for your home move in Kent