Is it necessary during the course of the conveyancing process to have a meeting at the offices of the solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will appoint a lawyer who conducts conveyancing in Richmond so that I can pop in to their offices if necessary.
As opposed to ten years ago, the vast majority lenders no longer oblige their conveyancing panel lawyer to witness the borrowers signature. It will still be necessary for you to supply ID documents and there are still distinct benefits to using a local solicitor, in your situation a conveyancing solicitor in Richmond.
Do I choose a Licenced Conveyancer or Solicitor for conveyancing in Richmond?
There are many recorded licenced Conveyancers in Richmond and Solicitor firms in Richmond who provide Conveyancing services We would stress that the two are supervised by regulatory bodies with both specialising in the legal aspects of transferring property. Both can deal with other property legal work such as remortgage conveyancing, enfranchisement and transfer of equity conveyancing.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Richmond. I have a mortgage agreed with Co-operative. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have 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 Co-operative, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.
I currently have a mortgage with Bank of Ireland for my property in Richmond. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. Should I wish to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Bank of Ireland?
Bank of Ireland must be informed of your intention prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Bank of Ireland’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Bank of Ireland directly. You need not do this via a Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel lawyer.
How does conveyancing in Richmond differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Richmond contact us having been asked by the developer to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is finished. This is because new home sellers in Richmond typically acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Richmond or who has acted in the same development.
My husband and I are a couple of weeks into a residential purchase having been recommend to solicitors by the high street agent to carry out the conveyancing in Richmond. I am not happy. Can you help me find new lawyers?
They would have to be very bad to suggest changing them. Has your mortgage been generated? If so you must inform them of the new contact details and ensure the offer are re-issued. The solicitor ideally should be on the banks panel to avoid supplemental fees and delays. So that should be your starting point. The search tool will assist you in finding a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Richmond
Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Richmond from the perspective of expediting the sale process?
- Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Richmond can be bypassed if you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers’ solicitors. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Richmond state that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Should you fail to have the paperwork in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer in advance. If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you are holding the original share certificate. Organising a new share certificate can be a time consuming formality and delays many a Richmond home move. If a reissued share certificate is necessary, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if applicable) for this as soon as possible. You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but you should verify this by asking your solicitors. A buyer’s lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to where the remaining number of years is less than 75 years. It is therefore essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Richmond - Examples of Queries Prior to buying
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Be sure to find out if there are any onerous restrictions in the lease. For example some leases prohibit pets being permitted in certain buildings in Richmond. If you love the flatin Richmond but your cat can’t live with you then you will be presented with a difficult choice. The answer will be important as a) areas may cause problems in the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if services are not paid for b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the managing agents you will need to have complete disclosure Best to be warned if changing the roof or some other significant cost is anticipated that will be shared between the leasehold owners and will materially impact the level of the service charges or necessitate a one off payment.
I happen to be an executor of my recently deceased mother’s Will, with a house in Richmond which is to be sold. The house is unregistered at HMLR and I'm told that many purchasers will insist that it is done before they'll move forward. What's the procedure for this?
In the situation that you have set out it seems advisable to seek to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. HMLR’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and official copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.