Our family lawyer has given a fee estimate £1150 for leasehold conveyancing in Southsea. I’m looking to sell a purpose built property for £150,000. Is this expensive? Is it in excess of what I should be paying for conveyancing in Southsea?
The estimate does seem a tad overpriced. If you shop around you may be able to get the conveyancing a bit cheaper by as much as a hundred pounds. That being said, you couldcome to regret choosing an an unknown solicitor. Remember to be sure the solicitor can also act for your bank. Do employ our comparison tool to locate a Southsea conveyancing firm on the lender’s approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Southsea.
Can you clarify what the consequences are if my lawyer’s firm is expelled from the Yorkshire BS Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Southsea?
First, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.
I just bought a house at auction in Southsea. Conveyancing is necessary. What happens now?
Now that you are exchanged you should appoint a conveyancing solicitor quickly as you are facing a pending deadline in which to complete the conveyancing. All auction property will have a bespoke legal set of papers. This will include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the legal papers should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to leasehold premises. You should hand this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. You also need to ensure that you have funds in order to complete on the on the contractual date .
Are all Southsea Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel?
A selection of banks and building societies now make use of the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to remain on their panels.
Having digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Southsea solicitor - who is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Yorkshire BS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Yorkshire BS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your solicitor will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Southsea postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Yorkshire BS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Southsea.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a quick, chain free conveyancing. Southsea is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can impart?
Flying freeholds in Southsea are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Southsea you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Southsea may ascertain 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 premises.
How straightforward is it to use the search tool to find a conveyancing practitioner in Southsea on the approved list for my bank?
1st choose a lender such as Santander, Chelsea Building Society or Bank of Ireland then choose your location for instance Southsea. Conveyancing firms in Southsea and nationally will then be listed.
We're novice buyers - had an offer accepted, yet the selling agent has warned us that the owners will only move forward if we appoint their recommended lawyers as they are insisting on a ‘quick sale’. We would rather use a family conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Southsea
It is improbable the vendors are behind this. Should the owner require ‘a quick sale', alienating a serious purchaser is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Speak to the vendors direct and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you are chain free (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you intend to instruct your own,trusted Southsea conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will give their estate agent a commission or achieve conveyancing figures demanded by head office.