Is it the case that all Colney Hatch CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Santander conveyancing panel?
Some major lenders now use CQS as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their panels.
Intending to buy a maisonette in Colney Hatch. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Santander conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Colney Hatch conveyancing practitioner is on the Santander conveyancing panel.
Our offer on a semi in Colney Hatch has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have put an offer on a flat, however it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Colney Hatch. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Skipton started?
It is understandable to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then valuation, Colney Hatch conveyancing search costs, etc). The first thing to do is ensure that your solicitor is on the Skipton approved list. Regarding the next steps this very much depends on the specifics of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market the majority of purchasers will apply for a home loan with Skipton and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their conveyancing practitioner to move forward with searches.
Will our solicitor be raising questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Colney Hatch.
Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors conducting conveyancing in Colney Hatch. Some people will buy a house in Colney Hatch, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.
Conveyancers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that may be undertaken by the purchaser or by their lawyers which can figure out the risks in Colney Hatch. The conventional set of information supplied to a buyer’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual question of the seller to find out if the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the premises has been flooded in past and is not revealed by the seller, then a purchaser could commence a legal claim for losses as a result of such an misleading reply. A purchaser’s conveyancers may also order an enviro search. This will disclose whether there is any known flood risk. If so, further inquiries will need to be made.
I am purchasing a new build house in Colney Hatch benefiting from help to buy. The developers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The sale representative advised me not inform my solicitor about this deal as it would adversely affect my mortgage with Platform Home Loans Ltd. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
I was advised by a few property agents in Colney Hatch to choose a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to recommend your lawyers over and above a competitor’s?
We don’t offer any financial incentive for sending work to this site. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.
We are 3 weeks into a leasehold purchase having been recommend to conveyancers by the local agent to perform conveyancing in Colney Hatch. We are not happy. Could you you assist me in finding new conveyancers?
A solicitor would have to be really poor in order to consider diss instructing them. Has the loan offer been generated? In the event that it has you need to advise them of the new contact details and ensure the offer are issued to the new lawyers. Your conveyancer should be on the lenders panel to avoid escalating costs and complications. That should be your starting point. The find a solicitor tool will assist you in finding a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Colney Hatch
I only have 68 years remaining on my flat in Colney Hatch. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is absent. What options are available to me?
If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to track down the freeholder. In some cases an enquiry agent would be useful to try and locate and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Colney Hatch.
I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such matters? Can you recommend a Colney Hatch conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?
Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Colney Hatch conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Colney Hatch flat is 90 & 96 Poplar Grove in June 2013. It was held by the Tribunal that the premium to be paid for the new lease in respect of each of the flats referred should be £17,942 This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 68 years.