The housing market in Battle is heating up. What can I do to speed up matters?
First, If the seller is applying time constraints to sign contracts it is highly recommended that your solicitor is familiar with the location as they will benefit local connections and insight. It is even conceivable that they may have handled previousproperties in the same road. Therefore consider using a Battle conveyancing firm. Second, make sure that the conveyancing firm is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is estimated that just under twenty per cent of Battle conveyancing transactions are delayed or derailed after discovering a buyer’s lawyer was not on their mortgage lender’s member panel. In many cases this discovery resulted in the buying process being frustrated by almost three weeks. It is understood that this issue affects in the region of 100,000 home moves every year. Many Battle conveyancing firms can not represent certain banks so do check at the outset.
My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Battle. I I would like to check whether they are on the The Royal Bank of Scotland approved list of lawyers. Could you advise?
The first thing you should do is phone the conveyancer and enquire if they are on the lender panel. Alternatively you can call The Royal Bank of Scotland who may be able to help.
I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Battle. Now, I need the documents however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate 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 Battle of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Am I right to be wary about brokers that I am dealing with are recommending an online conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Battle conveyancing firm?
As with lots of professional services, often suggestions from connections can be worth their weight in gold. But there are many parties with a keen interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, mortgage brokers and mortgage companies may put forward solicitors to appoint. Sometimes the solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but sometimes there might be a financial incentive behind the endorsement. You have the discretion to select your preferred lawyer. Don't forget that some mortgage providers specify a panel list of lawyers you have to use for the mortgage aspect of your transaction.
In my capacity as executor for the estate of my grandfather I am disposing of a property in Neath but reside in Battle. My lawyer (who is 250 miles from mehas requested that I sign a statutory declaration prior to the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Battle who can witness this legal document for me?
Technically speaking you should not need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in Battle
What are the common problems that you encounter in leases for Battle properties?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Battle. Most leases are unique and drafting errors can result in certain provisions are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:
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Insurance obligations
You will have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Halifax, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.
I inherited a studio flat in Battle, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2000. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Battle with a long lease are worth £260,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2099
With 75 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as costs.
The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.