I have given 2 months notice to my current landlord and have to be out of my let out apartment in Chalk Farm by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase has just started. How realistic is it to complete in 5 weeks as I wish to avoid having to move into temporary accommodation?
Generally one should not give notice for your tenancy until exchange of contracts has taken place. If you have not previously done so, speak to your conveyancer and urge them to they cajole the other lawyers, try to get a realistic time scale from them that everyone will aim to achieve
Finally the sale completed on my house in Chalk Farm last February yet the purchaser is e-mailing me to moan that his conveyancer is waiting to hear from mine. What are the post completion sale formalities following completion?
Post completion of your disposal your conveyancer is obliged to deliver the transfer documentation and all additional paperwork to the buyer’s solicitors. Depending on the transaction, your solicitor should also send confirmation that the mortgage has been paid off to the purchasers conveyancers. There is unlikely to be post completion steps just for conveyancing in Chalk Farm.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Clydesdale, do Chalk Farm solicitors incur an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?
We are unaware of any lender fees to register on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.
My husband and I have organised a further advance on our mortgage from Aldermore as we intend to conduct a loft conversion to our house in Chalk Farm. Are we obliged to choose a high street Chalk Farm solicitor on the Aldermore conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Aldermore would not normally require firms on their approved list of lawyers to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Aldermore panel.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a Chalk Farm property lawyer having made sure that they are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Nationwide will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Nationwide will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Chalk Farm surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
How does conveyancing in Chalk Farm differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Chalk Farm come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is constructed. This is because house builders in Chalk Farm typically acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Chalk Farm or who has acted in the same development.
Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Chalk Farm ahead of retaining solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. My surveyor advised that some lenders tend not issue a mortgage on such a house.
It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can investigate further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Chalk Farm. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
I am purchasing a leasehold flat in Chalk Farm. Conveyancing quotes are averaging around £1800. Is that reasonable?
The average fee last year for conveyancing in Chalk Farm was just under one thousand five hundred pounds not including SDLT and Land Registry fees.