At what point can the exchange of contracts occur in domestic conveyancing in Erith and do I need to attend the conveyancers office?
Where you are local to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Erith you are welcome to attend to sign contracts. That being said, the firms we work with supply countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide as equally comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you digitally. The signing of the contract is not the point of no return. Signing on the dotted line is just a prerequisite for the solicitor to exchange contracts at the appropriate time, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a lengthy "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Erith)to be in the office at the appropriate time.
Are the BSA intent on creating a online directory to list firms on the Earl Shilton BS conveyancing panel for example in Erith?
Lexsure has not been advised of any plans on the part of the BSA to develop such a tool.
We expect to receive a OIP from Lloyds this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Lloyds recommend any Erith solicitors on the Lloyds conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Erith solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Lloyds through the process.
I am selling my house. I had a double glazing fitted in February 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Virgin Money are being pedantic. The Erith solicitor who is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Virgin Money are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Virgin Money have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Virgin Money have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Virgin Money 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.
I have instructed a Erith lawyer having checked that they are on the UBS conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
UBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually UBS 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 Erith 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.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Erith is where the house is located. What do you suggest?
Flying freeholds in Erith are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Erith you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Erith 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 residence.
I am attracted to a couple of apartments in Erith which have approximately forty five years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?
There are plenty of short leases in Erith. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the value of the lease deteriorates and it becomes more costly to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena.
I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without success. Can a leaseholder make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Erith conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?
in cases where there is a absentee freeholder or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to determine the price payable.
An example of a Lease Extension case for a Erith residence is Various @ Colombus Square in January 2012. the Tribunal calculated the premiums to be paid for new leases for each of the flats in Mariners Walk to be £3822 and the premium to be paid for the new lease of 2 Knights Court to be £4439. This case affected 13 flats. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 76 years.
Are there any distinct advantages to choosing a high street lawyer in Erith
A significant proportion of house movers in Erith prefer a local solicitor so that they can pop into the firm’s offices just in case they have questions, and to collect documents rather taking the chance in relying on the Royal Mail.
There is a distinct benefit in opting for a conveyancing practitioner local to a property you are purchasing, due to the in-depth knowledge of the locality and possible local concerns - but this is debatable. The majority of conveyancers are now online and could be based anywhere.
