When reading mumsnet.com for a recommended lawyer in St Helens, many post that I should look for a CQS assured lawyer. Can you explain what CQS is?
St Helens Conveyancing Quality Scheme practices have obtained certification under the Law Society's Scheme (CQS) The Law Society created CQS to promote high standards in the home legal process. CQS helps buyers and sellers to recognise solicitor firms that provide a quality residential conveyancing. St Helens is one of locations in England and Wales in which accredited firms have offices. The scheme requires law firms to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self-reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status. It is available to solicitors and not licensed conveyancers and has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Can you point me to a directory of Skipton panel solicitors in St Helens on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?
Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association sites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings available online. Where you are seeking to appoint a St Helens solicitor on the Skipton please use our tool.
I can not work out if my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have telephoned my St Helens building society branch on a couple of occasions and was told it does not impact the mortgage offer and they would lend. My St Helens conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they would not lend based on their published requirements. Who do I believe?
As long as the conveyancing practitioner is on the mortgage company panel, they must comply with the CML Handbook conditions for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.
About to purchase apartment in St Helens. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Bank of Ireland 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 St Helens conveyancing practitioner is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.
Me and my brother own a semi-detached Georgian house in St Helens. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and The Royal Bank of Scotland. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in St Helens and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.
What does commercial conveyancing in St Helens cover?
Commercial conveyancing in St Helens incorporates a broad array of guidance, provided by regulated solicitors, relating to business premises. By way of example, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more commonly, the assignment of existing business tenancies or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of tenancies.
I am attracted to a two flats in St Helens which have in the region of forty five years left on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?
There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in St Helens is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it reduces the value of the property. The majority of purchasers and banks, leases with less than eighty years become less and less attractive. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with St Helens conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
I bought a ground floor flat in St Helens, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in St Helens with over 90 years remaining are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £65 yearly. The lease expires on 21st October 2086
With only 61 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £18,100 and £20,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.
We are contemplating appointing a web based conveyancer rather than a St Helens conveyancing practice. Am I making a mistake?
Advantages do exist in being able to pop in to a local St Helens conveyancing solicitor for example
- signing documents on short notice
- often being able to speak to someone face-to-face can make a significant difference, particularly for non-standard transactions
- the ability to complain if things go pear-shaped
When comparing fees, look out for hidden extras. The majority decent St Helens high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online agents seem to offer low cost fees, yet have hidden 'extras' in the fine print.