Finally, a mortgage offer from Nationwide for the remortgage of my single bedroom flat is due any day now. Could you recommend a cheap conveyancing solicitor in Kensington?
You have come to the wrong place to search for a cheap conveyancing in Kensington. We can offer you cost effective conveyancing but we do not advertise as being the cheapest. Avoid the trap of appointing brokers offering the bait of low cost conveyancing in Kensington. Optimistically, in being led by low cost conveyancing, you will get your money’s worth and at worst you will end up with a surprising uplift in additional fees and still not receive the service required.
We are purchasing our first home. Our property lawyer has calledto enquire if we want to take out supplemental conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's recommended for conveyancing in Kensington
The range of Kensington conveyancing searches should be triggered based primarily on the property, the location, the likelihood of any of these risks, your familiarity of the region and risks, your overall appetite to risk. What matters is that you adequately comprehend what information the searches could provide. Then you can decide if you consider that you need that search. Where you are uncertain, ask your solicitor to explain.
We are getting a further advance on our home loan from Nationwide as we want to conduct alterations to our home in Kensington. Are we obliged to choose a local Kensington solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel to handle the legals?
Nationwide don't usually require firms on 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 Nationwide conveyancing panel.
We expect to receive a AIP from Co-operative this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Co-operative recommend any Kensington solicitors on the Co-operative conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Kensington solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Co-operative through the process.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Principality. I assume I don't need a Kensington conveyancing practitioner on the Principality panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Principality mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Principality mortgage from the register. Principality, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Principality has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Principality has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Kensington I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Kensington suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease may be problematic. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.
We're new to the buying process - had an offer accepted, yet the agent informed us that the seller will only issue a contract if we use their recommended lawyers as they want an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a high street conveyancer who is familiar with conveyancing in Kensington
It is improbable the sellers are driving this. Should the owner desire ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a genuine buyer is not the way to achieve this. Bypass the agents and go straight to the sellers and make sure they understand (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to progress, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you intend to instruct your preferred Kensington conveyancing firm - rather thanthe ones that will earn their estate agent a kickback or achieve conveyancing figures pre-set by corporate headquarters.
We are considering using an online lawyer as opposed to a Kensington conveyancing practice. Am I making a mistake?
Advantages do exist in having the opportunity to pop in to a local Kensington conveyancing solicitor such as
- signing papers and and when necessary
- often being able to speak to someone face-to-face can make a huge difference, particularly for more complex conveyancing
- the ability to complain if things are not going as expected
When checking estimates, look carefully for hidden extras. The majority decent Kensington high street solicitors give an all-inclusive price. Many online companies seem to offer cheap prices, yet have hidden 'extras' in the small print.
