Do the conveyancing lawyers listed on your site perform attended exchange conveyancing in Portland?
We do have a number of conveyancing experts who can conduct one day exchanges. Do e-mail us to receive a conveyancing quote and details as to dates.
When it comes to lenders such as Virgin Money, do Portland lawyers face an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?
We are unaware of any bank fees to register on their panel, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.
We were going to get a AIP from Virgin Money this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Virgin Money recommend any Portland solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Portland solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Virgin Money through the process.
Intending to buy a apartment in Portland. 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 Co-operative 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 Portland lawyer is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.
Do I need to take out insurance to protect me from financial exposure to chancel repairs when purchasing a property in Portland?
Unless a prior acquisition of the premises took place after 12 October 2013 you can take it that conveyancing practitioners handling conveyancing in Portland to continue to recommend a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Portland?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Portland. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Portland is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can give?
Flying freeholds in Portland are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Portland you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Portland may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.
Finally our conveyancing in Portland is set to complete on Friday, however the couple I am purchasing from wishes to move out 24 hours later at at 2pm. Should I accept this?
Where you are having a loan then your lawyer will demand that the premises arevacant on Friday - the mortgage company will insist on it.