I am thinking of remortgaging my house in Maldon, does my lawyer have to be on the Barclays Solicitor panel?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Barclays conveyancing panel, but Barclays would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.
Is it the case that all Maldon solicitor firms on the RBS conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the RBS approved list of solicitors they would need to be overseen by the SRA. Many banks do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in such a situation the organisation would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Skipton. Maldon conveyancing practitioners were selected. How long does it take for Skipton to issue the offer to the property lawyer?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Skipton done the valuation? Have you informed Skipton as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Skipton conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
It is unclear whether my lender requires a lease extension. I have called into my local Maldon building society branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My Maldon conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- called to say that they refuse to lend based on their specific requirements. Who do I believe?
As long as the property lawyer is on the bank approved list, she or he must adhere to the CML Handbook requirements for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.
I purchased my apartment on 4 January and the transaction details is not yet registered. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in Maldon advises it will be formalised in a couple of weeks. Are titles in Maldon particularly slow to register?
There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Maldon registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can vary subject to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and whether the Land registry must send notices to any interested parties. Currently roughly 80% of such applications are completed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be protracted hold-ups. Historically registration occurs after the new owner is living at the premises therefore post completion formalities is not typically an essential issue yet where there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer can communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.
How does conveyancing in Maldon differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Maldon approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because new home sellers in Maldon 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 used to new build conveyancing in Maldon or who has acted in the same development.
If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £275,000 apartment in Maldon in seven days. The landlords agents has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Maldon?
Maldon conveyancing on leasehold apartments normally involves the buyer’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They are entitled to levy a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to sell the property.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Maldon - Sample of Queries before buying
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Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability? Best to be warned if window replacement or some other significant cost is anticipated that will be shared amongst the leaseholders and will dramatically increase the the maintenance fees or result in a specific payment. It would be wise to find out as much as possible concerning the managing agents as they will either make your living at the property much simpler or problematic. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily issues like the cleanliness of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours if they are happy with their management. In conclusion, find out the dates that the service charges are due to the appropriate party and precisely what you get for your money.
What are my options where I am unhappy with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted our conveyancing in Maldon?
Occasionally the level of service you receive is not as you expect, and is is a fact of life that every so often things do go wrong. That being said there is recourse if you were unhappy with your conveyancing in Maldon. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a conveyancing practitioner to their governing body. If things still aren’t resolved you may consider getting in touch with the Legal Ombudsman.