Why do I have to pay up front when it comes to conveyancing in Highgate?
If you are buying a property in Highgate your solicitor will ask you to provide them with funds to cover the the cost of the conveyancing searches. Normally this is asked for to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. If any down payment is as part of the total price then this should be required shortly ahead of exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is needed should be sent to your lawyer a few days prior to the completion date.
We hope to to buy with Earl Shilton BS. I dropped in a couple of high street solicitors but cant to find a Highgate conveyancing firm on the Earl Shilton BS panel. Could you assist?
Please do make the most of the find a conveyancing panel solicitor tool on this web page. Pick the lender and type Highgate or your preferred area and you will see a number of lawyer offices in Highgate or by proximity to you.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Highgate?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Highgate. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
I opted to have a survey completed on a house in Highgate prior to instructing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. My surveyor advised that some lenders tend not give a loan on a flying freehold home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you contact us we can investigate further with the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Highgate. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Highgate to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.
Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Highgate from the perspective of expediting the sale process?
- Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Highgate can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers. The majority of freeholders or managing agents in Highgate levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Highgate. You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to verify this via your solicitors. A purchaser's lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is under 75 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. A minority of Highgate leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors. If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Highgate state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord approving such works. Where you dont have the consents to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer in the first instance.
I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without getting anywhere. Can a leaseholder apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Highgate conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?
Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a Highgate conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Highgate flat is Flat 2A 19 Shepherds Hill in June 2014. The tribunal concluded in accordance with section 48 and schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform,Housing and Urban Development Act (the 1993 Act) that the premium payable in respect of the grant of a new lease for the Flat be £24,303 (twenty four thousand three hundred and three pounds) This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 67.85 years.
I bought a flat in Highgate last 30/1/2019 and to date it is still not registered with the Land Registry. It is part of a new estate and my solicitor told me that it can take twelve months to register. I have spoken with the Land Registry directly and they say that the original application was cancelled due to questions not being addressed in time. Do I need to be concerned?
Contact your property lawyer - Where you are unsatisfied with the responses, look up their internal complaints protocol and amplify your concerns to a Complaints Manager. Registrations for Highgate conveyancing are not known to be significantly delayed.