My fiance’s sister is a conveyancing practitioner. I suspect that I'll be able to get friends and family rates for conveyancing, However if that does not come through, what level of fees would I typically be looking at for conveyancing in Bicester?
It’s sensible to look for 3 or more like-for-like conveyancing estimates. Do use our comparison tool on this site. You will notice that charges may contrast greatly but service levels do are distinct between conveyancers as is true with the vast majority of professional services.
It is a dozen years since I acquired my property in Bicester. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been appointed on the sale but I can't locate the title deeds. Is this a problem?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be kept by your mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the conveyancers who acted in the purchase. Secondly in most cases the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Bicester involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it is more tricky but is resolvable.
My father informed me that in purchasing a property in Bicester there could be a number of restrictions limiting what one can do in terms of external alterations to the property. Is this right?
There are anumerous of properties in Bicester which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Bicester should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
I can not fathom if my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Bicester bank branch on a couple of occasions and was advised it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Bicester conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called and was told they refuse to lend based on their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?
The property lawyer must follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook section two specifications for your bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.
I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Coventry BS. Is it usual for Coventry BS to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Bicester is approved on their conveyancing panel? Coventry BS have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance Schedule.
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Coventry BS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
My wife and I have a 4 bedroom Georgian property in Bicester. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Skipton Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the matching property. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?
You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be 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 Bicester and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the situation with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the purchase.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in last month in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Bicester is where the house is located. Can you offer any assistance?
Flying freeholds in Bicester are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Bicester you must be sure that your lawyer goes 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 Bicester 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 property.
I have been recommended by three or four local estate agents in Bicester to choose a property lawyer using your seach tool. Is there a financial upside for Estate Agents to offer your services rather than a competitor’s?
We refuse to give any commission for pointing buyers and sellers to this site. We found it would be just too difficult a fee as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.