We see that you have a search directory identifying solicitors on the RBS conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I appoint them for our own conveyancing in Cambridgeshire?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the RBS conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Cambridgeshire.
I am buying a terraced house in Cambridgeshire. How practical is it for me to do the conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Cambridgeshire you will have to appoint a solicitor on your bank's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Cambridgeshire.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Cambridgeshire. I have a mortgage agreed with Skipton. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. 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 Skipton, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel.
I currently have a mortgage with Aldermore for my property in Cambridgeshire. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Aldermore?
Aldermore must be informed of your intention before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Aldermore’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Aldermore directly. You need not do this via a Aldermore conveyancing panel firm.
I can not fathom if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension. I have telephoned my Cambridgeshire building society branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My Cambridgeshire conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- called to say that they will not lend based on their published requirements. I simply don't know who is right.
The property lawyer must comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 provisions for your bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company 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 left on the lease.
What does a local search tell me regarding the property my wife and I buying in Cambridgeshire?
Cambridgeshire conveyancing often commences with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search organisations such as Onsearch The local search is essential in every Cambridgeshire conveyancing purchase; that is if you don’t want any nasty once you have moved into your new home. The search should reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic areas.
My husband and I are new to the buying process - agreed a price, yet the property agent informed us that the vendor will only move forward if we use their chosen lawyers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. We would rather use a family solicitor used to conveyancing in Cambridgeshire
We suspect that the seller is not behind this requirement. If they want ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a genuine purchaser is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Speak to the vendors direct and make the point that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to go, with mortgage lined up © you are chain free (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you are going to instruct your own,trusted Cambridgeshire conveyancing firm - not the ones that will provide their negotiator at the agency a kickback or achieve conveyancing targets pre-set by head office.
We own a leasehold flat in Cambridgeshire. Conveyancing was finished in 2010. I have heard that I mustn’t allow the lease length get too low. What is the reasoning?
Cambridgeshire residential long term leases are for a prescribed period - usually 99 years when they started. However many flats in Cambridgeshire were constructed or converted 35 or more years ago and so these leases now have less than 80 years unexpired. That may seem like a long time but Banks, Building Societies and other mortgage institutions tend to require leases to have a minimum of 75 years left to be mortgageable. Accordingly when you come to sell the property you will need a lease extension if you are approaching 75 years. To optimize the saleability of your property you should be considering whether to extend your lease long before you come to sell it. There are also advantages to doing so before the lease reaches even eighty years as when the lease is less than 80 years the amount you have to pay to extend starts to escalate.