It is 10 years ago since I purchased my house in Minehead. Conveyancing solicitors have just been instructed on the sale but I am unable to track down my title deeds. Is this a problem?
You need not be too concerned. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be with the mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the conveyancers who oversaw the purchase. Secondly in most cases the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Minehead relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is not registered it is more of a problem but is resolvable.
My mortgage company has suggested a law firm on their panel based in Minehead but I would rather use a conveyancing lawyer in Minehead round the corner to me. Can you help?
It is by no means the case that all Minehead conveyancing firms are listed all banks conveyancing panel. Use our search tool to identify a Minehead conveyancing solicitor on the on the lender panel.
We are downsizing from our house in Minehead and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed land that was not decontaminated. Any high street Minehead conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the purchasers instructed an internet conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Minehead. We have lived in Minehead for three years we know of no issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to get clarification that the buyers are looking for.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. What do they say? You need to enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same sickness)
Me and my brother purchased a 4 bedroom Edwardian house in Minehead. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Skipton Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. Is it worth asking Skipton Building Society to clarify?
You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for 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 Minehead and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also question the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who completed the work.
How straightforward is it to use the search facility to choose a conveyancing lawyer in Minehead on the panel for my bank?
Step one is to pick a bank such as Santander, Coventry Building Society or Platform Home Loans Ltd then choose your preferred area a common one being Minehead. Conveyancing practices in Minehead and further afield should be shown.
Last December I purchased a leasehold house in Minehead. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?
In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
Leasehold Conveyancing in Minehead - Sample of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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How is the lease structured? Its a good idea to discover as much as you can regarding the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues such as the upkeep of the common parts. Don't be afraid to ask other people what they think of their service. On a final note, find out the dates that the service charges are due to the appropriate party and specifically what it includes. For most Minehead leaseholds the outlay for major works are not wrapped into the maintenance charges, although some managing agents in Minehead ask leaseholders to pay into a reserve fund and this is used to offset against major works.