I am getting a mortgage offer from Halifax. I would like to instruct a Licensed Conveyancer in Totnes. Does the Halifax Conveyancing panel include conveyancers regulated by the CLC?
The Halifax approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, represented by the CML or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.
My flat in Totnes is up for sale and I have a purchaser. Does my lawyer have to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently in recent years.
I know that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to take this when acquiring a residence in Totnes? or I am told that there is historic law that means some house owners residing in a parish church boundary will be compelled to contribute towards maintenance towards the chancel within the church. Is this suitable for conveyancing in Totnes?
Unless a prior purchase of the house completed post 12 October 2013 you could assume that solicitors conducting conveyancing in Totnes to continue to recommend a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.
How does conveyancing in Totnes differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Totnes contact us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is completed. This is because house builders in Totnes tend to acquire the site, 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 Totnes or who has acted in the same development.
Last September I purchased a leasehold property in Totnes. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?
In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, 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).
Totnes Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before Purchasing
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Plenty Totnes leasehold apartments will have a service charge for the upkeep of the building levied on behalf of the management company. Where you acquire the flat you will have to pay this contribution, normally periodically during the year. This can be anything from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant amount, say around £25-£75 but you need to check as sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds. What is the name of the managing agents? You will want to find out as much as possible regarding the managing agents as they can either make life much easier or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Ask other people what they think of their service. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money.
The estate agent has recommended their solicitor for our conveyancing in Totnes - Surely it’s advisable to just instruct them?
You need to establish if the selling agent is recommending a conveyancer or introducing to a lawyer. There are plenty of Totnes estate agents who recommend two or three Totnes conveyancing firms purely based on those lawyers offering a great service.