I have just been advised by my mortgage broker that my Minehead solicitor is not on the bank Conveyancing panel. What can I do to be certain whether this is indeed the case?
Your first step should be to contact your Minehead conveyancer. You lawyer should inform you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your bank.
We are selling our house in Minehead and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. Any local conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers used a nationwide conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Minehead. We have lived in Minehead for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to get confirmation need.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You must enquire of 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 health insurance to cover that same sickness)
My wife and I own a 4 bedroom Georgian house in Minehead. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Clydesdale. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Minehead and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also enquire as to the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the work.
How does conveyancing in Minehead differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Minehead come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is completed. This is because builders in Minehead typically acquire the real estate, 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 Minehead or who has acted in the same development.
My brother has recommend that I use his conveyancers in Minehead. Should I use them?
No doubt the ideal way to choose a conveyancing solicitor is to seek guidance from friends or family who have experience in using the solicitor that you are considering.
I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Minehead. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Minehead ?
Most houses in Minehead are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Minehead in which case you should be shopping around for a Minehead conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Minehead - Sample of Queries before buying
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The best form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this situation the leaseholders benefit from control and although a managing agent is usually employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. It would be wise to discover as much as possible concerning the managing agents as they can either make your life much simpler or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day matters such as the tidiness of the common parts. You should not be shy to ask other people what they think of their management. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending that money.