As a FTB what is the most important advice you can impart about purchase conveyancing in Stockton on Tees?
Not many law firms or advisers will tell you this but conveyancing in Stockton on Tees and elsewhere in England and Wales is an adversarial experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists an abundance of room for friction between you and other parties involved in the transaction. For example, the vendor, selling agent and on occasion the lender. Appointing a law firm for your conveyancing in Stockton on Tees should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE party in the process whose interest is to protect your legal interests and to protect you.
On occasion a potential adversary may attempt to persuade you that it is in your interests to do things their way. As an example, the estate agent may claim to be helping by suggesting your solicitor is dragging his heels. Or your mortgage broker may tell you to do take action that is against your lawyers advice. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the home moving process.
We are purchasing a apartment in Stockton on Tees. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we will need to deposit our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
My wife and I buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Stockton on Tees. We would like to convert the garage to a playroom at the house.Will legal due diligence on the property involve investigations to ascertain if these works are permitted?
Your solicitor will review the registered title as conveyancing in Stockton on Tees will occasionally reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prevent certain changes or necessitated the consent of a 3rd party. Some additions call for local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. It would be wise to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
Having digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Stockton on Tees solicitor - who is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Bank of Ireland will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Bank of Ireland 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 Stockton on Tees 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.
How does conveyancing in Stockton on Tees differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Stockton on Tees approach us having been asked by the builder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is completed. This is because developers in Stockton on Tees typically purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Stockton on Tees or who has acted in the same development.
I have been pointed in your direction by a few property agents in Stockton on Tees to find a conveyancer on your site. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to recommend your site ahead of alternative conveyancing organisations?
We don’t make any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.
I am 14 days into a leasehold purchase having been referred to a firm by the high street agent to carry out the conveyancing in Stockton on Tees. We are not happy. Can you help me find new solicitors?
They would have to be really bad to suggest changing them. Has the mortgage been sent? In the event that it has you need to inform them of the replacement solicitor and ensure the offer are re-issued. Your new conveyancer needs to be on the mortgage company approved list to avoid supplemental expenses and frustration. That should be your starting point. The find a solicitor tool can assist you in finding a lender approved solicitor for your conveyancing in Stockton on Tees
For various reasons I am unfit to travel my Stockton on Tees conveyancing practitioners office to execute documents for conveyancing in Stockton on Tees – will this be problematic?
No. Stockton on Tees conveyancing lawyers can handle conveyancing transactions for clients from a distance. It is not necessary for you to be able to be present a Stockton on Tees conveyancers office. Almost all property lawyer can handle everything through post, email, telephone and fax.