We instructed a high street lawyer for my conveyancing in Otford yesterday. Reviewing the small print I noteI am on the hook for fees even if the dealdoes not go ahead. Would I be best advised to instruct an on-line conveyancing company who offer no-sale-no-fee conveyancing in Otford?
It is usually ‘give and take’ in that if "No Completion No Fee" is offered then the fee levels will tend to be be more expensive to neutralise the conveyances that fail to complete. Also remember that such schemes rarely cover disbursements such as Otford conveyancing search fees.
As a novice what is the most important number one tip you can impart about purchase conveyancing in Otford?
Not many law firms shout this from the rooftops but conveyancing in Otford or throughout Kent is an adversarial experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there is an abundance of opportunity for friction between you and other parties involved in the legal transfer of property. E.g., the seller, selling agent and sometimes the lender. Appointing a solicitor for your conveyancing in Otford an important selection as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONE party in the legal process whose interest is to protect your best interests and to protect you.
On occasion a third party with a vested interest may attempt to sway you that it is in your interests to do things their way. For instance, the estate agent may claim to be helping by claiming that your solicitor is slow. Or your mortgage broker may advise you to do take action that is against your solicitors advice. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the conveyancing process.
My husband and I have organised a further advance on our mortgage from Kent Reliance as we wish to conduct alterations to our home in Otford. Are we obliged to select a high street Otford solicitor on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?
Kent Reliance do not ordinarily instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Kent Reliance list.
I recently had an offer agreed on an apartment in Otford. My mortgage broker recommended their conveyancers. I paid an advanced payment of £150. Soon after, the solicitor called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Principality conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Principality panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
About to purchase maisonette in Otford. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Skipton conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Otford conveyancer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel.
My friend advised me that if I am buying in Otford I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is usually quoted for as part of the standard Otford conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Otford around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Otford Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Otford.
I own a leasehold house in Otford. Conveyancing and Barclays mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing solicitor in Otford who previously acted has long since retired. Do I pay?
First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Otford conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.
I acquired a studio flat in Otford, conveyancing formalities finalised March 1995. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Otford with over 90 years remaining are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2089
With only 65 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £13,300 and £15,400 plus professional fees.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.
Are there any specific advantages to selecting a local property lawyer in Otford
Home movers in Otford select a local conveyancing practitioner so that they can attend the lawyer’s offices in the event that they have concerns, and to sign paperwork rather than depending on the Royal Mail.
One could allege that there exists a marginal benefit in selecting a conveyancing practitioner local to the house you are purchasing, due to the in-depth knowledge of the region and possible local concerns - however this is moot. Most conveyancers are now by way of email and may be anywhere in the world.