As a first time buyer what is the most important advice you can give me concerning purchase conveyancing in Shefford?
You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Shefford and elsewhere in England and Wales is often a confrontational experience. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there exists an abundance of opportunity for friction between you and others involved in the home moving process. For example, the seller, property agent and sometimes a mortgage company. Appointing a lawyer for your conveyancing in Shefford should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the transaction whose interest is to protect your legal interests and to protect you.
There is a definite increase of a "blame" culture- someone must be blamed for the process taking so long. We recommend that you should always trust your lawyer above the other parties in the home moving process.
I am buying a detached bungalow in Shefford. Our aim is to convert the garage to a playroom at the house.Will legal work on the property include enquiries to ascertain if these works are allowed?
Your conveyancer will review the registered title as conveyancing in Shefford will sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which restrict certain changes or need the permission of a 3rd party. Many additions call for local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.
Is it correct that all Shefford CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel?
A selection of banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to remain on their approved list of firms.
We expect to receive a OIP from Bank of Ireland this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Bank of Ireland recommend any Shefford solicitors on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Shefford solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Bank of Ireland through the process.
A relative suggested that where I am purchasing in Shefford I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is sometimes included in the estimate for your Shefford conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing significant information about Shefford around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Shefford Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Shefford.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Shefford?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Shefford. 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…’
I am buying a new build house in Shefford with a mortgage from Accord Mortgages Ltd. The developers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep advised me not reveal to my solicitor about the side-deal as it would jeopardize my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in Shefford and how can you help?
The 1954 Act gives protection to business lessees, giving them the right to apply to court for a renewal tenancy and remain in occupation at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Shefford is one of the numerous areas of the UK in which the firms we work with are based