It is 10 years ago since I purchased my property in Minehead. Conveyancing lawyers have just been appointed on the sale but I can't locate the deeds. Is this a major issue?
You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be with your lender or they may be archived with the solicitor who oversaw the purchase. Secondly in all probability the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring up to date copy of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Minehead involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.
Do I have to visit the offices of the solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Minehead so that I can attend their offices if necessary.
These days conveyancing panel lawyers for lenders carry out the vast majority of communications via Royal Mail, e-mail or over the phone. This enables them to conduct the legal work for your home move no matter where you live in the country. Nevertheless you should see if you can still book an appointment to visit conveyancing lawyer if just in case this is required.
There are a variety of conveyancing solicitors in Minehead but how do I know who's good?
It would be unwise to be seduced by the lowest Minehead conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay 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 go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.
I am expecting a DIP from Co-operative this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Co-operative recommend any Minehead solicitors on the Co-operative conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Minehead solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Co-operative through the process.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Minehead. I have a mortgage agreed with Nottingham. 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 use 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 Nottingham, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.
My wife and I are selling our home in Minehead and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was constructed land that was not decontaminated. A high street Minehead lawyer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the purchasers used an online conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Minehead. We have lived in Minehead for many years we know of no issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to seek clarification that there is no issue.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing solicitor already. What do they say? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same ailment)
I'm purchasing a new build house in Minehead with a mortgage from Clydesdale. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent advised me not disclose to my lawyer about the deal as it will put at risk my loan with the bank. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one round the corner in Minehead I like with a park and station in the vicinity, however it only has 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in Minehead for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?
If you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be an issue. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.