Are the BSA planning on creating a searchable register to list firms on the Earl Shilton BS conveyancing panel for instance in Gillingham?
We are not aware of any plans on the part of the BSA to develop such a search facility.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Gillingham. I have a mortgage agreed with Leeds Building Society. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. 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 Leeds Building Society, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel.
After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Gillingham. My mortgage broker suggested a lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £175. A couple of days later, the property lawyer called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Coventry BS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by HSBC. Is it usual for HSBC to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Gillingham is approved on their conveyancing panel? HSBC have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance Schedule.
A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for HSBC to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the HSBC conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
My partner and I are downsizing from our property in Gillingham and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. A local conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed a nationwide conveyancing outfit rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Gillingham. Having lived in Gillingham for many years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to get confirmation that the buyers are looking for.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You need to check with 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 life insurance to cover that same illness)
Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Gillingham I like with amenity areas and station nearby, however it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Gillingham in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Reduce the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.
I am looking for a conveyancing lawyer in Gillingham for my purchase. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?
One may search for presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from inquisitions commenced on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For records Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded telephone calls for training reasons.
I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Gillingham both have about fifty years unexpired on the lease term. Will this present a problem?
A lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As a lease gets shorter the value of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field.
I am the registered owner of a ground floor flat in Gillingham, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding properties in Gillingham with over 90 years remaining are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2084
With 60 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £20,000 and £23,000 as well as professional fees.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information 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. You should not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.