My stepmother advised me that in buying a property in Helston there could be a number of restrictions affecting the ability to carry out external alterations to the property. Is this right?
There are a number of properties in Helston which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Helston should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
I am purchasing a end of terrace house in Helston. Our aim is to an extension at the rear at the property.Will legal investigations on the property involve investigations to determine if these works were previously refused?
Your property lawyer will check the registered title as conveyancing in Helston can occasionally identify restrictions in the title deeds which restrict certain works or require the consent of a 3rd party. Many extensions call for local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Some areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.
We are getting the release of further monies on our mortgage from Kent Reliance as we want to carry out renovations to our property in Helston. Are we obliged to appoint a local Helston solicitor on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Kent Reliance do not ordinarily instruct a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel.
I am downsizing from our property in Helston and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed land that was not decontaminated. Any high street Helston conveyancer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed a factory type conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Helston. Having lived in Helston for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Is it a good idea to get in touch with our local Authority to seek confirmation need.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer already. Are they able to advise? You must enquire of 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 life insurance to cover that same ailment)
I purchased a 4 bedroom Georgian property in Helston. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Barclays Direct. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Helston and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the position with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.
I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and found one near me in Helston I like with open areas and station nearby, however it's only got 49 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Helston suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?
If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be an issue. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.
Am I right to be concerned that brokers that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a web based conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Helston conveyancing company?
As is the case with many service providers, often suggestions from relatives can be extremely useful or valuable. But there are lots of people with a vested interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and banks may recommend conveyancers to select. On occasion the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but sometimes there behind the scenes commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You have the right to choose your preferred lawyer. You need to be aware that the majority of mortgage providers operate an approved list of conveyancers you must use for the lender aspect of your conveyancing.
What is the reason for my solicitor requiring numerous items of identification ahead of starting my conveyancing in Helston?
Helston conveyancing practitioners are obliged by the Law Society, SRA, the Land Registry and current Money Laundering legislation to certify that the have checked the identity of their clients. It is also sometimes a condition of your mortgage offer. Furthermore they have to complete various forms, particularly those relating to stamp duty land tax and need to have details such as your full names, national insurance number and date of birth.