I have been told that property searches are the primary cause of stalling in Alfriston house deals. Is that correct?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the conclusions of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the common causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Searches are unlikely to be the root cause of slowing down conveyancing in Alfriston.
Me and my brother have a renovated Victorian house in Alfriston. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Lloyds TSB Bank. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two 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 assess 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 Alfriston and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.
Am I right to be suspicious about third parties that I am dealing with are recommending an online conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Alfriston conveyancing firm?
As with many professional services, often suggestions from family and friends can be worth their weight in gold. Nevertheless there are many players in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, financial adviser and mortgage companies may put forward solicitors to retain. On occasion these solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but sometimes there might be a commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You are free to select your own lawyer. However, bear in mind that many lenders specify a panel list of lawyers you have to use for the mortgage related work in your home move.
I have been sourcing a conveyancing lawyer in Alfriston for my house move. Can I check a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?
Members of the public can find documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations started on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded call for training reasons.
Last July I purchased a leasehold property in Alfriston. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to 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. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part 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).
I own a studio flat in Alfriston, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Alfriston with an extended lease are worth £202,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 yearly. The lease ends on 21st October 2082
With just 57 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £28,500 and £33,000 plus legals.
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 comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be 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 move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.
Are the Alfriston conveyancing lawyers identified as being on the lender conveyancing panel, together with their details provided by the lender?
Alfriston firms and firms carrying out conveyancing in Alfriston themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from the mortgage company directly.