I am selling my house in Highcliffe. Does my solicitor need to be on the Nottingham conveyancing panel in order to deal with repayment of my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Nottingham conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their specifications fairly frequently at the moment.
I am helping my mother sell her property in Highcliffe. Does the solicitor commission the EPC or it is for the seller to see to?
After the demise of Home Packs, energy assessments was kept a mandatory part of selling a property. An energy assessment needs to be commissioned prior to the property being advertised. This is not a task that lawyers ordinarily arrange. If you are using a Highcliffe conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange EPC’s given their contacts with reputable Highcliffe accredited person
Is it the case that all Highcliffe CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel?
It is true that some lenders now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their panels.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Virgin Money. Highcliffe conveyancing practitioners have been appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Virgin Money?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Virgin Money done the valuation? Have you informed Virgin Money as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
How does conveyancing in Highcliffe differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Highcliffe approach us having been asked by the developer to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because developers in Highcliffe tend to acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Highcliffe or who has acted in the same development.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Highcliffe is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can impart?
Flying freeholds in Highcliffe are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Highcliffe you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Highcliffe 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.
Am I best advised to go with a Highcliffe conveyancing lawyer based in the area that I am purchasing? I have an old university friend who can carry out the conveyancing however his firm is located a couple of hundredkilometers drive away.
The benefit of a high street Highcliffe conveyancing practice is that you can drop in to sign documents, present your ID and apply pressure on them where appropriate. Having local Highcliffe know how is a plus. However it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have used your friend and the majority were happy that must trump using an unknown Highcliffe conveyancing lawyer just because they are round the corner.
What makes a Highcliffe lease problematic?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Highcliffe. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain clauses are wrong. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:
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Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the premises Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall
A defective lease can cause problems when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Barclays , Virgin Money, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, obliging the buyer to pull out.
Highcliffe Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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Please tell me if there are any major works in the planning that will increase the service fees? How is the lease structured? You will want to discover as much as possible regarding the company managing the block as they will either make living at the property much easier or problematic. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues such as the upkeep of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of their management. On a final note, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the appropriate party and precisely what you get for your money.