My previous solicitor has quoted £1200 for freehold conveyancing in Sheerness. I’m selling a newly refurbished detached home for £200,000. Is this over the top? Is it above what I should be paying for conveyancing in Sheerness?
The estimate does seem marginally overpriced. Where you are happy to spend time contrasting fee on a like for like basis you could trim some of the expense by perhaps a hundred pounds. On the other hand, you maycome to rue choosing an an unknown conveyancer. Don't forget to be sure the conveyancer can represent your lender. Do employ our comparison tool to get a quote a Sheerness conveyancing company on the banks approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Sheerness.
In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Sheerness? What am I being asked for?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the ID of the potential client they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing retainer. The Client Care letter that you are required to sign will no doubt reaffirm this. Your lender will also require certain documents to be checked. If you are unwilling to hand over identification documents, your lawyer can not take you on as a client.
I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and identified one close by in Sheerness I like with open areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Sheerness suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?
Should you need a mortgage that many years will be problematic. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this.
Should I instruct a Sheerness conveyancing practitioner in close proximity to the house I am buying? We have a good friend who can perform the legal formalities however her office is 300miles away.
The benefit of a local Sheerness conveyancing firm is that you can attend the office to execute paperwork, hand in your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. They will also have local knowledge which is a bonus. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who used your friend and they were happy that should outweigh using an unknown Sheerness conveyancing solicitor just because they are Sheerness based.
My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Sheerness. Conveyancing and Birmingham Midshires mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing practitioner in Sheerness who acted for me is not around. Any advice?
First make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Sheerness conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Sheerness - Examples of Queries Prior to buying
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Most Sheerness leasehold apartments will be liable to pay a service charge for the upkeep of the building set by the freeholder. If you purchase the property you will have to meet this liability, normally periodically during the year. This may be anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal areas. There will also be a ground rent to be met yearly, normally this is not a significant sum, say about £25-£75 but you need to enquire it because sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds. How is the lease structured? Who manages the block?
I am thinking of choosing an online lawyer rather than a Sheerness conveyancing firm. Should I ‘stay local’?
There are advantages of being able to attend a local Sheerness conveyancing solicitor such as
- signing documents on short notice
- often being able to see someone face-to-face can make a significant difference, particularly for non-standard conveyancing
- the ability to complain if matters go pear-shaped
When checking quotes, look carefully for hidden extras. The majority decent Sheerness high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online agents seem to offer cheap fees, but have burried 'extras' in the fine print.