My god-son is buying a new build apartment in Biddulph with a home loan from Principality. His conveyancer has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. What is this document - I have never come across this before?
The document is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Principality conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Principality conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.
Do banks and building societies provide you with an approved list of Biddulph conveyancing solicitors? How do you know who is on the Santander conveyancing panel?
Biddulph conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Santander conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Santander directly.
I am helping my step-mother sell her property in Biddulph. Does the solicitor commission the energy performance certificate or do I organise this?
Following the abolition of HIPs, energy performance certificates remained a compulsory part of selling a house. An energy performance certificate should be to hand prior to the property being advertised. This is not something that conveyancers normally organise. If you are instructing a Biddulph conveyancing lawyer they may be able to arrange EPC’s given their contacts with long established local providers
Is it the case that all Biddulph conveyancing solicitors on the Co-operative conveyancing panel are overseen by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Co-operative conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the practice would be governed by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
We previously instructed conveyancers located in Biddulph on the Clydesdale solicitor approved list. They have just billed me an additional sum for the legal aspects of the Clydesdale mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Clydesdale?
As unfair as it may seem, as long as it’s in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your solicitor is entitled to levy a fee for this. This charge is not dictated by Clydesdale but by your Biddulph property lawyer. Numerous firms on the Clydesdale panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but some practices include it on their overall fee.
I have been on the look out for a flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Biddulph I like with open areas and railway links nearby, however it's only got 49 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Biddulph suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?
If you require a mortgage that many years may be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.
I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing lawyer in Biddulph for my home move. Is there any facility to review a firm’s record with the profession’s regulator?
One can find presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes monitor telephone calls for training reasons.
I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Biddulph. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?
The majority of houses in Biddulph are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Biddulph so you should seriously consider looking for a Biddulph conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.
I bought a garden flat in Biddulph, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2009. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Biddulph with a long lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2084
With just 59 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £20,900 and £24,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.