I have given 8 weeks notice to my current landlord and have to be out of my rented property in Twickenham by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase has just started. Can I complete in six weeks as I wish to avoid having to move into temporary accommodation?
Generally one should not give notice for your letting until you have exchanged. If you have not previously done so, update to your conveyancer and urge them to they cajole the sellers lawyers, try to an acceptable time-line that all parties will work to achieve
I am helping my step-mother sell her property in Twickenham. Does the conveyancer arrange an energy performance certificate or do I organise this?
After the abolition of HIPs, EPC’s was kept a compulsory part of selling a property. An energy assessment should be commissioned in advance of the property being placed on the market. It is not a task that lawyers ordinarily organise. If you are instructing a Twickenham conveyancing practitioner they might be able to arrange energy performance certificates due to their relationships with reputable Twickenham providers
I am due to move house in August. Does my conveyancing solicitor call the removal company on the completion day. As an aside, can you suggest a removal company in Twickenham. Conveyancing firm was organised prior to coming across this page.
On the day of completion you will need to pick up the keys from your property agent however this can only happen after the previous owners lawyers inform the agent that they acknowledge receipt of the completion payment and the keys can be given over. Subsequently you will need to inform the removal company that they can start moving you in. We do not recommend a specific removal organisation but can help you choose a residential property solicitor in Twickenham or a solicitor that specialises in conveyancing in Twickenham.
is it true that all Twickenham solicitor practices on the TSB conveyancing panel are governed by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the TSB conveyancing panel they would need to be governed by the SRA. The majority of mortgage companies do list licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the organisation would be governed by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
Me and my brother purchased a 4 bedroom Edwardian house in Twickenham. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Halifax. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
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 Twickenham and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.
I am looking for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Twickenham I like with amenity areas and transport links in the vicinity, however it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Twickenham for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.
I've recently bought a leasehold house in Twickenham. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before 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 be sure 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 have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without success. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decide on such issues? Can you recommend a Twickenham conveyancing firm to assist?
Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Twickenham conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Twickenham property is Ground Floor Flat 91 Bath Road in May 2009. in a case where the freeholder could not be traced, the Brentford County Court ordered that the Lease be surrendered in return for the grant of a new lease of the Premises at a premium determined by the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. The tribunal concluded that the price payable by the Applicant for the new lease of the premises be £15,900 This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 60.45 years.
I am buying a leasehold apartment in Twickenham. Conveyancing estimates are averaging around £1650. Is that reasonable?
The average cost in 2014 for conveyancing in Twickenham was £1,500 excluding SDLT and HM Land Registry charges.