Me and my partner are planning to purchase a 3 bedroom apartment in Whitstable with a mortgage. We have a Whitstable solicitor, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have no option but to instruct one of the lender panel solicitors or retain our Whitstable property lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Whitstable conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
In the event thatI was to acquire a simple residential housein Whitstable for cash and dispense with a survey and no local authority searches how much would I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Whitstable?
Any savings you would achieve would be isolated to the Whitstable conveyancing searches. Your property lawyer is required to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, correspond with your vendors conveyancing practitioner, stamp duty return, register the title etc. You might save a bit for them not having to register a mortgage however it won't be a lot.
There is lots of here concerning conveyancing in Whitstable but can you isolate your top tip for appointing the right conveyancer in Whitstable
We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Whitstable conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as FTB of a garden flat in Whitstable. Do I receive the keys to the premises on completion from my conveyancer? If so, I will appoint a local conveyancing solicitor in Whitstable?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will arrange to send the completion advance to the seller's conveyancers, and once they have received this, you should be called to pick up the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. Usually this occurs between 1 and 3pm.
The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Whitstable. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?
All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.
I used Arc property Solicitors several years ago for my conveyancing in Whitstable. I now require my papers but the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Whitstable of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Whitstable. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.
Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Whitstable
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The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Please supply a car parking plan. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision.
I've found a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure 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 leasehold house in Whitstable. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Whitstable ?
The majority of houses in Whitstable are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Whitstable in which case you should be looking for a Whitstable conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.
I purchased a split level flat in Whitstable, conveyancing was carried out June 1995. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Whitstable with over 90 years remaining are worth £201,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease terminates on 21st October 2090
With just 64 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £14,300 and £16,400 as well as professional fees.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.