My IFA has requested my Hounslow lawyer’ panel member for the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I find this out. I have contacted my local Hounslow office but they have not got back to me yet.
The sensible thing to do is ask for this information from your Hounslow conveyancer . Most Hounslow conveyancing firms will keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each lender.
How can we know in advance if a Hounslow conveyancing solicitor on the Kent Reliance panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Hounslow obtaining recommendations is a good starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always recommend that you speak with the solicitor carrying out your transaction.
We are getting a further advance on our home loan from Skipton as we intend to carry out improvements to our home in Hounslow. Are we obliged to appoint a nearby Hounslow solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Skipton don't usually require firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Skipton list.
After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Hounslow. My mortgage broker suggested a conveyancing practitioner. I paid an on account payment of £225. Soon after, the lawyer contacted me to say that they were not on the HSBC 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 HSBC 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.
Will my solicitor be raising questions concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Hounslow.
Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers specialising in conveyancing in Hounslow. There are those who purchase a property in Hounslow, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, suitable building insurance, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.
Lawyers are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous checks that can be carried out by the buyer or by their solicitors which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Hounslow. The standard property information forms sent to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual question of the seller to determine if the premises has ever been flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not notified by the seller, then a purchaser could bring a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading answer. The purchaser’s lawyers will also carry out an enviro search. This should reveal whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be conducted.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Hounslow I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, however it only has 61 years on the lease. There is not much else in Hounslow for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?
If you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the expected 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 may request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.
I am employed by a long established estate agent office in Hounslow where we see a number of leasehold sales jeopardised as a result of short leases. I have received contradictory information from local Hounslow conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?
As long as the seller has been the owner 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 buyer can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord 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 have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without getting anywhere. Can I apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Hounslow conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?
You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Hounslow conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Hounslow premises 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 related to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 60.45 years.
We are in the middle of purchasing a house in Hounslow. Conveyancing lawyer has told us the title is "Leasehold". Will this likely impact our Santander valuation?
Hounslow conveyancing does not usually involve leasehold houses. The crucial consideration here is the unexpired lease term and the ground rent. If there are hundred of years years remaining with a peppercorn rent, it's almost the same as freehold, so it’s unlikely to affect the value significantly.
On the flip side, if it's, say, 50 years it is bound to have a material impact on the saleability, and most likely wouldn't be acceptable to the bank. The remaining lease term and ground rent will be set out in the lease which should be made available to your solicitor.
