Me and my partner are purchasing a 1 bedroom apartment in Northwich with a mortgage. We have a Northwich lawyer, but the bank advise she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel conveyancing practices or retain our Northwich lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. We regard this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your Northwich conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
Our mortgage company has recommended solicitors on their panel based in Northwich but I would rather instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Northwich or nearer to where I live. Are you able to assist?
The minority of Northwich conveyancing firms are approved and listed on all lender’s conveyancing panel. Do make use of the above find an approved solicitor tool to choose a Northwich conveyancing conveyancer on the on the bank panel.
My bid for a property was accepted at auction in Northwich. Conveyancing is required. What are my next steps?
Now that you are exchanged you should find a conveyancing practitioner as a matter of urgency as you now have a pending a fixed date to complete the property. Every auction property will have an associated auction pack. This will likely include evidence of title and search results. In the case of leasehold premises the auction pack may contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork pertinent to leasehold premises. You must give this to the solicitor working for you ASAP. Do make sure that you have funds in place to complete on the date specified in the contract.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Virgin Money, do Northwich conveyancers have to pay a yearly amount to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are not aware of any lender fees to be on their list of approved firms, although some do levy an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Northwich off the council. I have a mortgage agreed 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.
My wife and I are selling our home in Northwich and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. A high street Northwich lawyer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers used a web based conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Northwich. Having lived in Northwich for many years we know that this is a non issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to obtain confirmation need.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You should 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 sickness)
I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Northwich which have about 50 years remaining on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?
A lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more costly to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area.
Northwich Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to buying
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Plenty Northwich leasehold flats will incur a service bill for maintenance of the building levied by the freeholder. Where you purchase the property you will have to pay this liability, normally periodically accross the year. This may differ from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common grounds. There will also be a ground rent to be met annual, normally this is not a exorbitant amount, say about £50-£100 but you should to enquire as on occasion it can be prohibitively expensive. Best to be warned whether redecorating or some other major work is coming up to be shared between the tenants and will materially impact the level of the maintenance fees or result in a specific invoice. For many Northwich leaseholds the outlay for major works tend not to be incorporated into the maintenance charges, albeit that some managing agents in Northwich ask tenants to pay into a reserve fund and this is used to offset against larger works.
Is there a difference between surveying and conveyancing in Northwich?
Conveyancing - in Northwich or anywhere in England and Wales - is the process of legally transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It involves the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you’re intending to buy and will help you discover the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you leverage for reducing the price down or asking the vendor to fix the problems prior to you complete your move.