My grandfather passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Niton. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £5k. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Santander, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?
Given you plan to re-mortgage then Santander will require that you use a conveyancer on the Santander conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Santander conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Santander mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
I am expecting a DIP from Coventry BS 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 Coventry BS recommend any Niton solicitors on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Niton solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Coventry BS through the process.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Niton. I have a mortgage offer with Yorkshire BS. Conveyancing is new to me. 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 Yorkshire BS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel.
At last I have had an offer on a flat in Niton agreed to, the sellers do however have an associated purchase. The owners have offered on a flat, but it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have selected a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Niton. What should be my next step? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with Bank of Ireland?
It is usual to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey, Niton conveyancing search charges, etc). The first thing to do is check that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. As to the next phase this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market some buyers would apply for a home loan with Bank of Ireland and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their property lawyer to press on with the conveyancing in Niton.
How simple is it to switch solicitor as I have to appoint one who is on the Alliance & Leicester conveyancing list. I hired a local conveyancing solicitor in Niton five minutes from me but he is not accepted by Alliance & Leicester
It would be our pleasure to help you select a conveyancing solicitor in Niton on the Alliance & Leicester panel. Please note that the conveyancers that we list do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Niton. In making use of the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this page, you can scrutinise charges for conveyancing solicitors in Niton and throughout England and Wales.
I need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Niton for my remortgage. Is it possible to review a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?
Members of the public can find documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from investigations started on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For records Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes recorded telephone calls for training requirements.
Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Niton with the intention of speeding up the sale process?
- Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Niton can be bypassed if you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers’ solicitors. If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is unresolved. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as over rather than unresolved. If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you hold the original share document. Organising a re-issued share certificate can be a lengthy formality and slows down many a Niton home move. If a new share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this as soon as possible. A minority of Niton leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors. You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your conveyancers. A buyer’s lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is below 75 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.
Niton Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing
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Does the lease contain onerous restrictions? It is important to be aware whether window replacement or some other major work is due shortly to be shared by the tenants and will materially increase the the service costs or require a specific invoice. The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this situation the tenants benefit from control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is often retained if the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.
We are considering instructing a web based lawyer as opposed to a Niton conveyancing practice. Any advice?
Various benefits exist in having the option visit a local Niton conveyancing solicitor for instance
- signing papers same day
- getting one on one explanations of issues that need explaining
- the ability to raise concerns if matters are not going as expected
When checking fees, look carefully for hidden extras. Most decent Niton high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online companies appear to offer discounted prices, yet have hidden 'extras' in the small print.