I am helping my niece sell her flat in Easton. Will the conveyancing solicitor arrange the EPC or do I organise this?
Following the demise of HIPs, energy performance certificates was left as a required part of moving house. An energy assessment should be to hand in advance of the property being marketed. It is not a task that solicitors ordinarily organise. If you are using a Easton conveyancing practitioner they might be willing to arrange EPC’s due to their contacts with reputable Easton assessors
I am planning to move home in February. Does my conveyancing solicitor update the removal company on the day of completion. On a separate note, can you recommend a removal company in Easton. Conveyancing lawyer was found before I stumbled across this website.
On the afternoon of completion you will need to pick up the house keys from your property agent however this should only be done once the vendors solicitors advise the agent that the monies to complete are in and the keys can be passed over. Subsequently you can tell the removal company that you are ready to move in. As a matter of policy we do not recommend a specific removal organisation but can help you choose a conveyancing in Easton or a legal practice that specialises in conveyancing in Easton.
The mortgage over my property is with Santander for my property in Easton. Conveyancing has been completed 12 months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Santander?
You must advise Santander prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Santander’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Santander 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 Santander directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Santander conveyancing panel firm.
4 months have elapsed following my purchase conveyancing in Easton concluded. I have checked the Land Registry site which shows that I paid £175,000 when infact I paid £180,000. Why the discrepancy?
The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the asset from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.
How does conveyancing in Easton differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Easton come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is built. This is because new home sellers in Easton typically purchase 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 Easton or who has acted in the same development.
I have been on the look out for a flat up to £305k and identified one near me in Easton I like with a park and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Easton in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?
If you require a home loan that many years will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.
I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two apartments in Easton both have approximately 50 years remaining on the lease term. should I be concerned?
There are no two ways about it. A leasehold apartment in Easton is a wasting asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the salability of the premises. For most purchasers and banks, leases with under eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of premises with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Easton conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
Easton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying
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It would be prudent to discover as much as you can concerning the company managing the block as they can either make life much simpler or problematic. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day matters such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Don't be shy to ask other people what they think of their service. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that the service charges are due to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money. Can you tell me if there are any major works on the horizon that will increase the maintenance fees? How many years remain on the lease?
I bought a flat in Easton last 31/8/2022 and to date it is still not registered with the Land Registry. It was part of a development site and my conveyancer told me that it can take one year to register. I have called HMLR directly and they say that the original application was cancelled due to failure to reply to requisitions. Should I be concerned?
It is your solicitor that you should contact in order to satisfy any concerns which have arisen as part of the registration process for your Easton property. Normal Easton conveyancing practice includes an undertaking on the part of the previous owner’s property lawyer that they will assist in resolving any question raised by HMLR so it may be a case of seeking to enforce that undertaking in some way.