It is is a decade since I bought my property in Tiptree. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been instructed on the sale but I can't find the title deeds. Is this a problem?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be retained by the mortgage company or they may stored with the lawyers who acted in your purchase. Secondly in most cases the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Tiptree involves registered property but in the rare situation where your home is not registered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.
When researching consumer advice sites for a high-quality lawyer in Tiptree, most post that I must instruct a CQS assured lawyer. Can you explain what CQS is?
The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) provides a recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practices issued by the Law Society. Membership achievement establishes a level of credibility for member firms with stakeholders (regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers) based upon: * the integrity of the senior responsible officer and other key conveyancing staff * the firm's adherence to good practice management standards * adherence to prudent and efficient conveyancing procedures through the scheme protocol the standard includes many partnerships who handle conveyancing in Tiptree.
We are downsizing from our property in Tiptree and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being built on contaminated land. A high street Tiptree conveyancer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers used an internet conveyancing firm as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Tiptree. Having lived in Tiptree for six years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to get in touch with our local Authority to obtain clarification need.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. What do they say? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)
I own a renovated Edwardian property in Tiptree. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and National Westminster Bank. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the matching address. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Tiptree and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing lawyer who completed the work.
I've recently bought a leasehold house in Tiptree. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
I purchased a split level flat in Tiptree, conveyancing having been completed September 2001. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Tiptree with over 90 years remaining are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2083
With just 58 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £22,800 and £26,400 plus professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.
Developers have suggested I use a solicitor and I've received a quote from them. They are almost £400 cheaper than my local Tiptree conveyancer. What's the catch?
Builders frequently have lists of lawyers who expedite matters and who know the seller’s contract and lawyer. As many developers offer an incentive to use their approved property lawyer for this reason, any increased charges can be avoided and a developer will not put forward a conveyancing warehouse and run the risk of having the conveyancing stall when they need an exchange in 28 days. A counter-argument for not agreeing to use the suggested conveyancing practitioner is that they may prove unwilling to 'push' your interests for fear of upsetting the developer. If you worry that this may be the situation you should stick with your local Tiptree lawyer.