We are about to exchange contracts for a ground floor flat in Malden. We encountered a problem. Our mortgage offer with HSBC Bank runs out on 28/11/2025 but the sellers are insisting on a completion date of 2/12/2025. Is it possible to extend the mortgage offer?
The best person to deal with your issue is your solicitors who should assess if they should be discussing with the mortgage broker, owner’s representatives, estate agents or indeed all parties taking into account what has gone on in your house move as of today.
I am purchasing a new build flat in Malden. How practical is it for me to do the conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Malden you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender'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 Malden.
I am helping my mother sell her flat in Malden. Will the conveyancing solicitor order an energy assessment or should I organise this?
Following the demise of HIPs, EPC’s was maintained a mandatory element of selling a house. An energy performance certificate should be to hand before the property is marketed. It is not something that conveyancers ordinarily organise. If you are using a Malden conveyancing solicitor they may be able to arrange EPC’s due to their contacts with long established local energy assessors
How can we know in advance if a Malden conveyancing solicitor on the TSB panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Malden obtaining recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always recommend that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing.
My partner and I are in the throws of looking at houses in Malden and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a property lawyer in place at this point? I intend to finance via a mortgage with Yorkshire BS.
You should start obtaining conveyancing quotes from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the selling agent. As you are taking out a mortgage with Yorkshire BS, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel.
How does conveyancing in Malden differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Malden approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is ready to move into. This is because builders in Malden typically acquire 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 property lawyers 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 Malden or who has acted in the same development.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Malden is where the house is located. Can you offer any guidance?
Flying freeholds in Malden are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Malden you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Malden may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.
I own a leasehold house in Malden. Conveyancing and Nottingham Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing solicitor in Malden who previously acted has long since retired. Do I pay?
The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Malden conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
We have reached the end of our tether in trying to reach an agreement for a lease extension in Malden. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?
in cases where there is a missing freeholder or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to judgment on the price payable.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Malden property is 158 West Hill in November 2010. the Tribunal held that the premium to be paid for the freehold reversion should be £99,650 This case related to 7 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 75.88 years.