We are getting the release of further funds on our mortgage from HSBC as we want to carry out a loft conversion to our house in Thorpe Astley. Are we obliged to select a high street Thorpe Astley solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel to handle the legals?
HSBC would not normally require a member of their approved list of lawyers to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the HSBC list.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Aldermore. I assume I don't need a Thorpe Astley property lawyer on the Aldermore panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Aldermore mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Aldermore mortgage from the register. Aldermore, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Aldermore has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Aldermore has instructed the Land Registry to do so
After what feels like an age I have had an offer on a maisonette in Thorpe Astley agreed to, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, however it’s not yet tied up, and have viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have chosen a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Thorpe Astley. What should be my next step? At what stage do I apply for the mortgage with Nottingham?
It is normal to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (home loan application is approx £1k, then valuation, Thorpe Astley conveyancing search costs, etc). The first thing to do is check that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. As to the subsequent stages this very much dictated by the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. During a rising market many purchasers will apply for a home loan with Nottingham and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they ask their property lawyer to move forward with the conveyancing in Thorpe Astley.
I have been told that property searches are the primary cause of hinderance in Thorpe Astley house deals. Is that correct?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the common causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are unlikely to feature in any delay in conveyancing in Thorpe Astley.
How does conveyancing in Thorpe Astley differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Thorpe Astley contact us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is constructed. This is because builders in Thorpe Astley tend to acquire 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Thorpe Astley or who has acted in the same development.
I am four weeks into a leasehold purchase having been directed to conveyancers by the selling agent to do our conveyancing in Thorpe Astley. I am not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new lawyers?
A lawyer would have to be very bad in order to consider replacing them. Has the loan offer been issued? If so you must make them aware of the new contact details and get the loan are issued to the new lawyers. Your conveyancer needs to be on the mortgage company approved list to avoid added fees and delays. So that should be your starting point. Our search tool should help you find a lender approved solicitor for your home move in Thorpe Astley
I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Thorpe Astley. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?
Most houses in Thorpe Astley are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Thorpe Astley so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Thorpe Astley conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.
Thorpe Astley Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to buying
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How much is the ground rent and service charge? You should want to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the block as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical issues like the tidiness of the communal areas. Enquire of other people whether they are happy with them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the relevant party and precisely what it includes. Best to be warned whether window replacement or some other major work is due in the foreseeable future that will be shared between the tenants and could well materially impact the level of the service costs or necessitate a one time payment.
We have had DIP from Aldermore who indicated that they will lend up to £350k. When do I need to appoint a practitioner for conveyancing? Thorpe Astley is where we plan to move to.
It would be wise to appoint a conveyancer now so that the solicitor can open the file so they can commence their AML checks etc. As and when you wish them to start work they will seek a payment on account normally about £225. That would normally be once you have the loan offer from the lender and survey back, but if you want to expedite the process you can get going sooner even though you may be risking some expense.