I am one month into the sale of my house in Hampton Wick and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are swapping conveyancer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the bank will only engage with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. Why would a big named mortgage company only engage with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Hampton Wick ?
Banks have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for many years.
Lenders point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.
I require conveyancing for a flat in a fairly new development (five years old) in Hampton Wick. Almost all the properties are already sold. Do I need carry out the neighbourhood searches as part of conveyancing in Hampton Wick?
You would be taking a significant risk in refusing to carrying out Hampton Wick conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying without a mortgage there is no legal necessity to have them, but we would strongly advise in the strongest possible terms that your conveyancer conducts them. Where timings and cost are primary concerns you should consider with your solicitor about the options such as contingency insurance available to you
My partner and I are selling our property in Hampton Wick and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being built on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers are using a nationwide conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Hampton Wick. Having lived in Hampton Wick for six years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to obtain clarification that the buyers are looking for.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same sickness)
It has been four months since my purchase conveyancing in Hampton Wick completed. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £170,000. 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.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my commercial offices in Hampton Wick and how can your lawyers assist?
The 1954 Act provides security of tenure to business leaseholders, giving them the dueness to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of the lease term. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Hampton Wick is one of our many areas of the UK in which our lawyers are located
Due to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Hampton Wick. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?
The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Hampton Wick should include some of the following:
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Who has the liability for maintaining the window frames Advice as to the provision as set out in the lease to to contribute towards maintenance costs - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a tenant has Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat? specifics of the parties to the lease, for instance these could be the (you), superior lessor, landlord What options are available to the landlord where you have breached the provisions of the lease?
After years of correspondence we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Hampton Wick. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?
Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Hampton Wick conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Hampton Wick premises is Flat D 15 Claremont Gardens in September 2013. TheTribunal determined in accordance with section48 and Schedule13 of the Leasehold Reform,Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 that the premium for the extended lease should be fourteen thousand one hundred and eighty seven pounds (£14,187.00) This case affected 1 flat.