All was ready to complete my purchase in Kent next Thursday. My conveyancer now wants me to supply her with evidence of content and building insurance for the property as as she informs me that she is duty bound to validate that it is in order for the mortgage company. What does the insurance need to cover?
All property lawyers on acting for lenders would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 requirements. These requirements are not unique to conveyancing in Kent.
Can your site be used to find a Conveyancing solicitor in Kent even where I’m not buying or selling a house, for example if I intend to acquire an office in Kent with a loan from HSBC Bank?
The service is predominantly there to select residential conveyancing solicitors in Kent but we have set out at the bottom of this page a selection of Kent commercial conveyancing firms. You will need to enquire with the solicitors directly to check if they are also authorised to represent HSBC Bank
is it true that all Kent solicitor practices on the Barclays conveyancing panel are governed by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Barclays approved list of solicitors they would need to be governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. The majority of banks do list licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the CLC.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Nottingham. Kent conveyancing lawyers were instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Nottingham?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Nottingham done the valuation? Have you informed Nottingham as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Nottingham conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
I am purchasing a property in Kent. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Nationwide have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Nationwide your lawyer must comply with the conveyancing instructions set out in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nationwide. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook sets out minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancers are required to report to Nationwide where a lease fails to satisfy these requirements. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not restricted to Kent.
We are buying a house and the solicitor has referenced Chancel Repair for which the property may be obligated to contribute to as it falls into the area of such a church. She has mentioned insurance. Is this strictly warranted for conveyancing in Kent
Unless a previous acquisition of the property took place after 12 October 2013 you may take it that solicitors conducting conveyancing in Kent to remain recommending a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.
I am looking for a flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Kent I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Kent for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan that many years will likely be an issue. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises 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 current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.
What are the distinct advantages to instructing a local conveyancing practitioner in Kent
Plenty of house movers in Kent select a nearby high street solicitor so that they can pop into the firm’s offices just in case they have concerns, and to sign paperwork without using the post.
There is a distinct advantage in opting for a solicitor local to a house you are purchasing, due to the in-depth knowledge of the area and potential local issues - yet this is debatable. The majority of conveyancers are now via email and may be almost anywhere.