At what point can the exchange of contracts happen for sale conveyancing in Stevenage and am I required to attend the conveyancers office?
Where you are in close proximity to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Stevenage you are welcome to attend to sign contracts. However, the lender approved solicitors we recommend offer a countrywide conveyancing service and give just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you digitally. The executing of the property agreement is not the point of no return. A signed contract is necessary for the solicitor to address the formalities when the time is right, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The procedure is is usually a five minute process, although where a long "chain" is in the mix, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Stevenage)to be in the office at the appropriate time.
I am expecting a OIP from Co-operative this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Co-operative recommend any Stevenage solicitors on the Co-operative conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Stevenage solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Co-operative through the process.
After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Stevenage. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an on account payment of £175. A couple of days later, the solicitor contacted me to say that they were not on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Barclays panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a Stevenage conveyancing practitioner having checked that they are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Virgin Money will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Virgin Money 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. You may wish to consider appointing your own Stevenage surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
I purchased my flat on 2 September and the transaction details are still not registered. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in Stevenage expressed confidence that it should be recorded in a couple of weeks. Are titles in Stevenage uniquely lengthy to register?
There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Stevenage registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can vary according to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry must send notices to any interested persons or bodies. As of today approximately 80% of submission are completed within 12 days but occasionally there can be longer hold-ups. Historically registration is effected after the purchaser is living at the premises therefore post completion formalities is not usually top priority yet if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your conveyancer can communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.
What does commercial conveyancing in Stevenage cover?
Stevenage conveyancing for business premises incorporates a broad range of guidance, offered by qualified 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 usually, the transfer 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.
Am I better off to go with a Stevenage conveyancing solicitor who is local to the property I am purchasing? I have an old university friend who can conduct the legal formalities but his firm is located approximately 350miles away.
The benefit of a local Stevenage conveyancing practice is that you can attend the office to sign documents, hand in your ID and pester them where appropriate. They will also have local knowledge which is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who used your friend and they were impressed that must surpass using an unknown Stevenage conveyancing solicitor just because they are based in the area.
I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Stevenage which have approximately 50 years remaining on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?
A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease deteriorates and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena.
Stevenage Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask before buying
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Best to be warned whether window replacement or some other major work is pending that will be shared amongst the leaseholders and may well dramatically increase the the service charges or require a one time invoice. What is the the remaining lease term? You should be aware if it is fewer than eighty years it will impact the value of the flat. Check with your lender that they are content with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely need a lease extension at some point and it is worth discovering how much this would cost. For most Stevenagelease extensions you would be required to have been the owner of the premises for a couple of years before you are eligible to extend the lease.