Me and my fiance are buying a 2 bedroom flat in Hounslow with a mortgage. We like our Hounslow lawyer, but the bank says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have little option but to appoint one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or keep our Hounslow conveyancing practitioner and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your Hounslow conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
It is is a decade since I acquired my home in Hounslow. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been appointed on the sale but I am unable to find my deeds. Is this a major issue?
You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be kept by the mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who handled the purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers acquiring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Hounslow relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your property is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as a first time buyer of a garden flat in Hounslow. Do I receive the keys to the property on completion from my solicitor? If so, I will use a local conveyancing solicitor in Hounslow?
On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in Hounslow. Your solicitors will arrange to send the purchase money to the owner’s lawyers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you should be able to receive the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this occurs between 1 and 3pm.
I have instructed a Hounslow conveyancer having checked that they are on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Co-operative will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Co-operative will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your solicitor will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Hounslow postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Co-operative, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Hounslow.
UBS have agreed my home loan in principle, my bid on a apartment in Hounslow has been agreed to, what are the next steps?
Your estate agent will wish to be advised as to your conveyancer's details (make sure the lawyers are on the lender’s panel). Contact UBS or the broker and finalise any appropriate forms. UBS will sellect a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or owners to book a time for the valuation to happen. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a week to receive the mortgage offer. UBS will send the offer to you and your solicitors. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Hounslow.
I need some fast conveyancing in Hounslow as I am faced with pressure to sign on the dotted line in less than one month. A home loan is not required. Can I decline from having conveyancing searches to save fees and time?
As you are are a cash purchaser you are at free not to do searches although no law firm would advise that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Hounslow the following are examples of issues that can crop up and therefore impact future mortgageability: Enforcement Actions, Overdue Charges, Outstanding Grants, Unadopted Roads,...
How do I locate a Hounslow law firm on the Britannia conveyancing panel? I am a keen cyclist and am happy to travel upto 20miles to meet the lawyer.
Feel free to make use of the tool on this website. Please pick a bank and your location and you will see a number of Hounslow conveyancing lawyers based on proximity. We have detailed some Hounslow conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can ring them to verify if they are on the Britannia approved list
Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Hounslow with the intention of saving time on the sale process?
- Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Hounslow can be avoided where you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers’ conveyancers. You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be wise to double-check via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is less than 80 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale. If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate can be a time consuming process and frustrates many a Hounslow conveyancing deal. Where a reissued share certificate is needed, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this as soon as possible. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Hounslow state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. If you fail to have the paperwork in place you should not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer first. The majority of landlords or Management Companies in Hounslow charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. 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 common cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Hounslow.
I have had difficulty in trying to reach an agreement for a lease extension in Hounslow. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?
Most definitely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Hounslow conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Hounslow flat is Ground Floor Flat 91 Bath Road in May 2009. in a case where the freeholder could not be traced, the Brentford County Court ordered that the Lease be surrendered in return for the grant of a new lease of the Premises at a premium determined by the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. The tribunal concluded that the price payable by the Applicant for the new lease of the premises be £15,900 This case affected 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 60.45 years.