My best friend’s step-father is a solicitor. I anticipate that I will receive preferential rates for conveyancing, However if that does not come materialise, what level of figure should I be expecting for conveyancing in Norfolk?
You should compare pricing. Do use our comparison tool on this site. You will notice that quotes seem to vary but the service one can expect differ between solicitors as is the case with the vast majority of professional services.
When can the exchange of contracts occur in domestic conveyancing in Norfolk and am I required to attend the solicitors office?
Where you are local to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Norfolk you are invited in to sign contracts. That being said, the lender approved solicitors we recommend provide countrywide coverage for conveyancing and give just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you digitally. The signing of the property agreement is not the point of no return. A signed contract is necessary for the conveyancer to address the formalities when the time is right, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where an extended "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Norfolk)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.
If you had a top tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Norfolk what would it be?
Do not opt for the cheapest Norfolk conveyancing quote. You really do get what you’re paying 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 know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of time.
I'm the sole recipient of my late father’s will with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Norfolk. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in June. I want to move. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship may be considered the same way as if I'd bought the property in June. Will no one buy the property for half a year?
The CML handbook requires conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you may be caught by that. How practical a view mortgage companies take of it, depend on the lender as this provision primarily exists to capture subsales or the quick reselling of properties.
I have paid off my mortgage with Barclays. I assume I don't need a Norfolk property lawyer on the Barclays panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Barclays mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Barclays mortgage from the register. Barclays, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Barclays has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Barclays has instructed the Land Registry to do so
My wife and I purchased a renovated Victorian property in Norfolk. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and The Mortgage Works. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Norfolk and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also check the position with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.
I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and identified one near me in Norfolk I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 51 years on the lease. There is not much else in Norfolk for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
If you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.
How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my commercial premises in Norfolk and how can you help?
The particular law that you refer to affords protection to commercial lessees, giving them the legal entitlement to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease reaches an end. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act for protection and handle your commercial conveyancing in Norfolk