Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Brockley is not identified on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of his work?
That would most likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Brockley conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.
Are the BSA planning on creating a search tool with a view to list law firms on the Loughborough BS conveyancing panel for example in Brockley?
We would not expect to be advised of any intention on the part of the BSA to develop such a tool.
There are a variety of conveyancing solicitors in Brockley but how do I know who's good?
We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Brockley conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Brockley off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with RBS. Conveyancing is new to me. 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 RBS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the RBS conveyancing panel.
Our sealed bid on a detached house in Brockley has been accepted, the vendors do however have an associated purchase. The vendors have put an offer on a property, but it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other apartments booked. I have selected a high street conveyancing solicitor in Brockley. What do I do now? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with Barclays?
It is normal to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs prematurely (mortgage application is approx one thousand pounds, then survey, Brockley conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you must ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Regarding the subsequent phase this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market many home buyers would apply for a home loan with Barclays and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their property lawyer to proceed with the conveyancing in Brockley.
My wife and I own a 4 bedroom Edwardian property in Brockley. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and HSBC Bank. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You should 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 Brockley and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.
I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Brockley. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?
Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure 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 am the proprietor of a second floor flat in Brockley. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum payable for the purchase of the freehold?
You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Brockley conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Brockley residence is Flat b 14 Kemble Road in May 2014. The Tribunal assessed the value of the premium payable for the lease extension to be £9,761 This case was in relation to 1 flat.
Why do Brockley conveyancing charges are higher for leasehold and freehold properties?
Leasehold conveyancing in Brockley can involve additional due diligence such as investigating the lease, corresponding with the landlord, obtaining up to date rent receipts, landlord’s consents, management company’s accounts amongst other tasks.
