Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Surrey is not listed on my bank's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of her conveyancing?
That would most likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Where you are concerned you should contact the Surrey conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal planned roadworks that may impact a commercial premises in Surrey?
Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Surrey will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers invest in looking into accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Surrey. The report sets out definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Surrey.
For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Surrey it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. Failure to identify developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately may cause delays to Surrey commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Surrey.
I'm converting the mortgage on my current home to a BTL mortgage with HSBC Bank and intend to use the remaining equity as a deposit on a second house. The location we are looking at is Surrey. Will your solicitors be able to act for both sets of banks and link together the two deals?
Make use of our search tool on this site to ensure that the lawyers are approved by both mortgage companies. On the basis that they are your conveyancer will be able to connect the two transactions but you should have a chat with you solicitor and make apparent your desired outcome and requirements.
My husband and I are a fortnight into a freehold purchase having been recommend to conveyancers by the selling agent to handle our conveyancing in Surrey. We are not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new solicitors?
They would have to be very poor to suggest replacing them. Has the loan offer been issued? If so you will need to inform them of the new solicitor and ensure the loan are re-issued. Your solicitor ideally needs to be on the lenders approved list to avoid escalating fees and delays. That should be your starting point. The find a solicitor tool will help you find a bank approved solicitor for your conveyancing in Surrey
Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Surrey from the perspective of expediting the sale process?
- Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Surrey can be bypassed where you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers. Some Surrey leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors. If you have had conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing. The majority of landlords or managing agents in Surrey charge for providing management packs for a leasehold home. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Surrey.
I own a 1st floor flat in Surrey, conveyancing having been completed 10 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Surrey with a long lease are worth £185,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2085
With just 60 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £20,000 and £23,000 plus legals.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.
What can I do to discover who owns a property in Surrey?
As long as the property is registered with HMLR, and you have the information of the address of the property, you should be able to obtain results from the HMLR of the registered owner for a a minimal charge.