I am in the throes of transferring my current homeowner mortgage to a Buy to Let TSB mortgage. The bank has said that I require a lawyer as part of the process. I spoke to my former Chester conveyancing firm who who did the conveyancing when I previously bought the property. The costs illustration sent of £550 is an eye-watering amount to do this as its a remortgage than a sale or purchase.
The estimate fees are a little high. If you shop around you could shave off some of the cost by perhaps a hundred pounds. On the other hand, if you were satisfied with the legal work the firm offered you couldlive to rue choosing an an untested conveyancer. If is important to check the solicitor can also act for TSB. Do use our search tool to find a Chester conveyancing firm on the TSB member panel, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Chester.
My grandmother passed away last year and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Chester. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £5k. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Clydesdale, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Clydesdale will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Clydesdale conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Clydesdale mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
I am aiming to move property in June. Should my conveyancing solicitor call the removal company on the day of completion. Incidentally, can you suggest a removal company in Chester. Conveyancing lawyer was chosen before I stumbled across your website.
On the day of completion you can collect the house keys from your estate agent however this can only occur when the previous owners solicitors inform the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be collected. After that you will need to tell the removal men that you are ready to move in. We are not in a position to recommend a particular removal company but can assist you in locating a residential property solicitor in Chester or a legal practice that specialises in conveyancing in Chester.
We are getting a further advance on our mortgage from Co-operative as we intend to carry out a loft conversion to our property in Chester. Do we need to select a local Chester solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Co-operative do not ordinarily appoint firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Co-operative list.
I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in February 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, RBS are being pedantic. The Chester solicitor who is on the RBS conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but RBS are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do RBS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that RBS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why RBS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
Will my lawyer be asking questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Chester.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors dealing with homes in Chester. Plenty of people will buy a property in Chester, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.
Lawyers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that may be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Chester. The conventional set of property information forms supplied to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a standard question of the seller to discover whether the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the property has been flooded in past and is not revealed by the seller, then a buyer could issue a legal claim for losses as a result of such an inaccurate response. A purchaser’s solicitors may also conduct an environmental report. This should reveal whether there is any known flood risk. If so, further inquiries will need to be made.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Chester is the location of the property. What do you suggest?
Flying freeholds in Chester are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Chester you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Chester 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 premises.
I have been pointed in your direction by a few property agents in Chester to get a quote from a property lawyer using your seach tool. What’s the financial inducement for Estate Agents to market your site rather than a competitor’s?
We refuse to make any financial incentive for directing people in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.