I have given 8 weeks notice to my current landlord and must leave my rented apartment in Horncastle by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase is underway. How realistic is it to complete in six weeks as don't want to have to move into temporary accommodation?
It is unwise to give notice for your tenancy until you have exchanged. If you have not previously done so, update to your solicitor and ask them to they chase the sellers side, try to an agreed time frame that everyone will work to achieve
Can you point me to a directory of HSBC panel conveyancers in Horncastle on the Building Society Association’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. A small selection of lenders make their panel listings viewable online. If you are in need of a Horncastle lawyer on the HSBC please make the most of our facility.
My partner and I have organised the release of further funds on our mortgage from Yorkshire BS as we wish to carry out alterations to our property in Horncastle. Are we obliged to select a local Horncastle solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Yorkshire BS do not ordinarily require a member of their conveyancing panel 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 Yorkshire BS panel.
I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Horncastle. My mortgage broker suggested a solicitor. I paid an advanced payment of £200. A few days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the RBS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the RBS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Should my conveyancer be asking questions about flooding during the conveyancing in Horncastle.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Horncastle. Plenty of people will buy a house in Horncastle, completely expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.
Solicitors are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that can be undertaken by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Horncastle. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms supplied to a buyer’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a usual question of the seller to find out whether the property has suffered from flooding. If the residence has been flooded in past which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a purchaser could bring a legal claim for losses as a result of such an misleading reply. A buyer’s lawyers may also order an enviro report. This will higlight if there is any known flood risk. If so, additional investigations should be conducted.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, chain free conveyancing. Horncastle is the location of the property. Can you offer any advice?
Flying freeholds in Horncastle are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Horncastle you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Horncastle may ascertain 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.
I am looking for a conveyancing practitioner in Horncastle for my house move. Is it possible to check a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?
Anyone can review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded telephone calls for training requirements.
I am employed by a long established estate agent office in Horncastle where we have experienced a number of leasehold sales put at risk as a result of short leases. I have been given contradictory information from local Horncastle conveyancing solicitors. Can you shed some light as to whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension process for the buyer?
As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.
I acquired a 1st floor flat in Horncastle, conveyancing was carried out December 2002. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding properties in Horncastle with over 90 years remaining are worth £190,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2086
With only 62 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £17,100 and £19,800 as well as legals.
The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.