Willusing a Harlesden conveyancing practice make the legal transfer of property easier?
Harlesden is a unique place, where regional insight is a significant benefit. The relaxed pace of life has an upside – but not for your house move. The solicitors that we recommend host in-depth Harlesden insight with a professional, can doattitude that ensures everything runs smoothly. It is a definite plus that they can make use of well established rapport with financial advisers, estate agents, valuers and counterpart Harlesden conveyancing firms
We see that you have a search directory identifying solicitors on the RBS conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a commission if I appoint them for our own conveyancing in Harlesden?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the RBS conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Harlesden.
There is lots of information on this site concerning conveyancing in Harlesden but what is your top tip for appointing the right conveyancer in Harlesden
It would be unwise to be swayed by the cheapest Harlesden conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.
Is it the case that all Harlesden solicitors on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel they would need to be overseen by the SRA. Some mortgage companies do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Harlesden solicitor - who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Clydesdale will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Clydesdale 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 Harlesden 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.
My colleague suggested that if I am purchasing in Harlesden I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Harlesden conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Harlesden around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Harlesden.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and identified one near me in Harlesden I like with a park and transport links nearby, however it only has 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Harlesden for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?
Should you require a mortgage that many years may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities 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 consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.
I have just appointed agents to market my garden flat in Harlesden. Conveyancing is yet to be initiated, however I have recently had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?
It best that you clear the maintenance contribution as you normally would because all rents and service charges should be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
I am the leaseholder of a first floor flat in Harlesden. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the premium due for a lease extension?
Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Harlesden conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Harlesden premises is First Floor Flat 2B Fortune Gate Road in May 2013. the tribunal decided that the price payable for the lease extension was £9,331, together with £900 in respect of outstanding ground rent. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 74.31 years.