This question may be naive but I am wet behind the ears as a 1st time buyer of a ground floor flat in Littleport. Do I collect the keys to the house on completion from my solicitor? If this is the case, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in Littleport?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the completion advance to the owner’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be able to receive the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen early afternoon.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Bank of Ireland, do Littleport solicitors have to pay an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are unaware of any mortgage company fees to be on their panel, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.
It is not clear whether my lender obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have telephoned my Littleport bank branch on a couple of occasions and was advised it wasn't an issue and they will lend. My Littleport conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they refuse to lend based on their specific requirements. Who do I believe?
Provided that the lawyer is on the bank approved list, she or he must adhere to the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.
Me and my brother have a semi-detached Victorian house in Littleport. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and TSB. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Littleport and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing practitioner who carried out the work.
I'm buying my first flat in Littleport with a loan from Virgin Money. The developers refused to move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent told me not to tell my solicitor about the deal as it would adversely affect my mortgage with the bank. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.
Should I instruct a Littleport conveyancing solicitor in close proximity to the house I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can conduct the conveyancing but his firm is located 300miles drive away.
The benefit of a local Littleport conveyancing practice is that you can visit the firm to sign documents, deliver your ID and pester them if necessary. Having local Littleport know how is a plus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have instructed your friend and they were impressed that must trump using an unknown Littleport conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being Littleport based.
I am attracted to a two flats in Littleport both have in the region of 50 years unexpired on the lease term. Do I need to be concerned?
There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Littleport is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the value of the property. The majority of buyers and mortgage companies, leases with under 75 years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of premises with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Littleport conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
I invested in buying a 2 bed flat in Littleport, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Littleport with a long lease are worth £260,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2095
With just 74 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.
My wife and I have selected a Littleport conveyancing solicitor for our home move (novice purchasers) and have picked up in the Ts and Cs that they are not overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority. Should I be concerned or is that the norm with conveyancer?
We can't see why they should be. Most lawyer don't lend money. You should check that they are governed by the SRA, who dictate specific laws regulating monies held by them.