Me and my husband are buying a leasehold flat in Page Green. My property lawyer is not listed on the mortgage company approved panel. Am I still permitted to retain my Page Green conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the lender panel?
You must have a conveyancer to deal with the legal work required when you require a loan to buy your home. They will carry out all the relevant investigations on the property, make sure that you’re properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the required mortgage documentation is in order. You can appoint a Page Green conveyancer of your choice. However, where the lawyer selected is not a member of the mortgage company conveyancing panel additional fees will arise as separate legal representation will be required by them. Lender panel applications can be submitted, so if your lawyer has not in the past applied for membership they can do so.
We note that you have a post code search directory listing solicitors on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I instruct them for our conveyancing in Page Green?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Page Green.
What is the difference between a licensed conveyancer and conveyancing solicitor in Page Green
Two types of professional can conduct conveyancing in Page Green namely licenced conveyancers or solicitors. Both professionals administer conveyancing services that required to complete the sale or acquisition of property. They are both required to handle Page Green conveyancing on similar standards and guidelines so you may be safe in the knowledge that your conveyancing will be professionally administered and that all requisite procedures should be correctly followed.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with UBS. I assume I don't need a Page Green property lawyer on the UBS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your UBS 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 UBS mortgage from the register. UBS, 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 UBS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- UBS has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I have instructed a Page Green lawyer having checked that they are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Virgin Money will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Virgin Money will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Page Green surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
I have been told that property searches are the primary cause of delay in Page Green house deals. Is there any truth in this?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the top 10 causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Searches are unlikely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Page Green.
I am looking for a flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Page Green I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it only has 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Page Green in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?
Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.
Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Page Green conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?
When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Page Green conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Page Green conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be useful:
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How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?
I am the leaseholder of a ground-floor 1960’s flat in Page Green. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the amount payable for the purchase of the freehold?
You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Page Green conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Page Green flat is 22 Wakefield Road in January 2012. Following a vesting order Clerkenwell and Shoreditch County Court under section 26 of the Leasehold Reform,Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 on 9th May 2011 the Tribunal decided that the price that the Applicant for the freehold interest should pay is £17,400 This case related to 2 flats. The unexpired lease term was 74.13 years.