I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and must vacate my rented apartment in West Norwood by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase is progressing. How realistic is it to complete in six weeks as I wish to avoid having to move into temporary accommodation?
It is unwise to serve notice on a rental until your lawyer suggests that you should. Assuming that you have not previously done so, contact to your solicitor and request that they chase the sellers lawyers, try to a target completion date that all parties will look to achieve
I am refinancing my home in West Norwood, does my lawyer have to be on the UBS Solicitor panel?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but UBS will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is greater potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
Have just purchased a repossessed house at auction in West Norwood. Conveyancing is necessary. What are my next steps?
Having for in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you must retain a conveyancing solicitor as a matter of urgency as you now have a fast approaching a fixed date to complete the property. An auction property will ordinarily have an associated auction pack. This will likely include most,if not all of the documents that your solicitor will need. In the case of leasehold property the legal papers should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to a leasehold property. You should hand this to the conveyancer working for you as soon as possible. You also need to ensure that you have funds in place to complete on the date specified in the contract.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in West Norwood. I have a mortgage offer with UBS. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with UBS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the UBS conveyancing panel.
I have finally had an offer on a maisonette in West Norwood accepted, but there is a chain. The owners have offered on on an apartment, however it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in West Norwood. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with Co-operative going?
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 one thousand pounds, then survey, West Norwood conveyancing search costs, etc). First, you should check that your conveyancer is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. Concerning the next phase this very much dictated by the specifics of your transaction, motivation for this property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market many home buyers would apply for a home loan with Co-operative and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their property lawyer to proceed with the conveyancing in West Norwood.
A friend advised me that if I am buying in West Norwood I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is usually included in the estimate for your West Norwood conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about West Norwood around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, West Norwood Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning West Norwood.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in last month in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. West Norwood is the location of the property. Can you offer any opinion?
Flying freeholds in West Norwood are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in West Norwood you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in West Norwood may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
What is the reason for my conveyancer requiring various items of ID before I can proceed with selling or purchasing a property in West Norwood?
West Norwood conveyancers are obliged by the Law Society, SRA, HMLR and current Money Laundering legislation to record that the have verified the identity of their clients. It will also be a condition of your mortgage offer. Furthermore they have to complete various forms, particularly those relating to stamp duty land tax and need to have information such as your full names, national insurance number and DOB.