Is the fact that my conveyancer in Hornchurch is not on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Hornchurch conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
The deeds to our house are lost. The solicitors who dealt with the conveyancing in Hornchurch 10 years ago are no longer around. Will I be able to sell the house?
Assuming you have a registered title the details of your ownership will be held by the Land Registry under a Title Number. It is easy to perform a search at the Land Registry, find your house and secure up to date copies of the property title for less than a fiver. If the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will in most cases hold a file copy of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be ordered for a small fee.
I'm buying a new build house in Hornchurch with the aid of help to buy. The sellers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not disclose to my conveyancer about the extras as it will impact my loan with The Royal Bank of Scotland. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
I am looking for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and found one near me in Hornchurch I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, however it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Hornchurch in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?
Should you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be problematic. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you could ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.
Last December I purchased a leasehold house in Hornchurch. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
I inherited a first floor flat in Hornchurch. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for a lease extension?
Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Hornchurch conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Hornchurch property is 37 Lodge Court High Street in November 2013. the decision of the LVT was that the premium to be paid for the new lease was £25,559 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 57.5 years.
I am considering choosing an online conveyancing practitioner ahead of a Hornchurch conveyancing firm. Am I making a mistake?
Various benefits exist in being able to visit a local Hornchurch conveyancing solicitor for instance
- signing documents and and when necessary
- having face-to-face explanations of things that you need help with
- the ability to raise concerns if matters go pear-shaped
When comparing estimates, look out for hidden extras. The majority decent Hornchurch high street solicitors give an all-inclusive price. Often online companies seem to offer discounted fees, but have hidden 'extras' in the in the terms and conditions.