We were just about to sign contracts for a property in St Nicholas. We encountered a problem. Our mortgage offer with Birmingham Midshires runs out on 2/4/2026 but the sellers are putting forward a completion date of 8/4/2026. Can one prolong the loan offer?
The person best placed to deal with your question is your solicitors who is in a position to assess whether they corresponding with the mortgage broker, seller’s lawyers, estate agents or possibly all three taking into account what has happend in your conveyancing to date.
We're in St Nicholas, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is Skipton , and our lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no solicitor should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
My uncle informed me that in buying a property in St Nicholas there could be various restrictions preventing external changes to the property. Is this right?
We are aware of anumerous of properties in St Nicholas which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in St Nicholas should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
We have agreed to purchase a house in St Nicholas. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Virgin Money have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that your lender is Virgin Money your lawyer must comply with the formal instructions set out in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Virgin Money. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Virgin Money where a lease does not comply with these requirements. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not limited to St Nicholas.
I can not fathom if my bank requires a lease extension. I have called into my local St Nicholas building society branch on a couple of occasions and was advised it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My St Nicholas conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- called to say that they refuse to lend based on their specific requirements. I have no idea who is right.
Your conveyancing practitioner must follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook Part 2 specifications for your bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank 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 mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.
What will a local search inform me regarding the house we're buying in St Nicholas?
St Nicholas conveyancing often starts with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company for example Onsearch The local search is essential in every St Nicholas conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any nasty once you have moved into your property. The search should reveal data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject areas.
Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in St Nicholas. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.
Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in St Nicholas
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The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.
How simple is it to change conveyancer as I need to appoint one who is on the Accord Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel. I instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in St Nicholas five minutes from me but the firm is not approved by Accord Mortgages Ltd
It would be our pleasure to assist you select a conveyancing solicitor in St Nicholas on the Accord Mortgages Ltd panel. Please note that the property lawyers that we work with do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are regulated by the SRA who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in St Nicholas. Using the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this site, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in St Nicholas.