My family solicitor has sent a quote for £995 for fixed fee conveyancing in Hackney. I am looking to sell a Georgian house for £250,000. Are the quoted fees excessive? Is it in excess of the norm for conveyancing in Hackney?
The quote is fractionally on the high side. If you shop around you could shave off some of the expense by as much as £125. That being said, you maylive to regret opting for an an untested solicitor. Remember to enquire that the firm can also act for your lender. Do use our comparison tool to choose a Hackney conveyancing company on the lender’s conveyancing panel which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Hackney.
We have very pushy sellers who has suggested a preliminary contract with a non-refundable deposit 6,000. Are such contracts appropriate for Hackney conveyancing transactions?
This kind of agreement isn't frequently used in Hackney, conveyancers will often sway clients away from them as they divert attention from the main conveyancing focus and if you end up having your deposit forfeited then the lawyer at best left with an upset client and at worst a litigious one. Secondly, there is no assurance that just because the owner has entered into a lock out contract they will complete the sale with you. They may be tempted to break the agreement if they are offered a big enough incentive to do so because a wronged buyer with the benefit of a lockout agreement will still be obliged show losses as a consequence of the breach and this may not amount to the financial benefit that your seller may gain by reneging on the contract, however morally condemnable the behaviour is.
We wanted to use a conveyancing solicitor in Hackney for our home move. Our financial adviser has since notified us that our bank Leeds Building Society won't deal with them. Surely this is unfair competition?
Pre- 2008 most lenders had a different appetite for risk. Almost all Hackney conveyancing firms would have been on many mortgage company panels. The Financial Services Authority in 2010 carried out a thematic review into mortgage fraud which come to the conclusion: mortgage lenders should know the conveyancing solicitors dealt with. Consequently, mortgage companies have regularly sought more information from law firms relating to their operations and the individuals who work for them as well as establishing certain criteria such a completing on a minimum number of transactions. Many Hackney conveyancing firms that have been excluded from lender panels have Unblemished track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Hackney is one of the thousands of locations where the lawyers we list are are approved Leeds Building Society.
Please help - my lawyer advises that lack of building regulations insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Hackney?
The appropriate level of lack of building regulations indemnity insurance should be dictated by who your lender. It would differ for example between HSBC Bank and Skipton Building Society. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to members of the public take out such insurances.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Barclays. Hackney conveyancing lawyers are chosen. How long does it take for Barclays to forward the offer to the solicitor?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Barclays done the survey? Have you informed Barclays as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Barclays conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a Hackney lawyer having checked that they are on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Coventry BS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Coventry BS 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. Your property lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Hackney postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Coventry BS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Hackney.
What will a local search tell me concerning the property I am buying in Hackney?
Hackney conveyancing often starts with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company for example PSG The local search plays an important role in many a Hackney conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any unpleasant once you have moved into your property. The search will reveal data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic areas.
Completion is due on the sale of our £175,000 apartment in Hackney in 10 days. The management company has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Hackney?
For the majority of leasehold sales in Hackney conveyancing will involve, questions about the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :
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Answering pre-exchange enquiries
Where consent is required before sale in Hackney
Supplying insurance information
Deeds of covenant upon sale
Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale
I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such issues? Can you recommend a Hackney conveyancing firm to help?
in cases where there is a missing freeholder or if there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant statutes it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to arrive at the price.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Hackney property is 150 Amhurst Road in December 2013. The tribunal concluded that the premium to be paid by the applicant for the enfranchisement of the subject property was £43,500. This case affected 4 flats. The unexpired term was 90 (or thereabouts).