Much to our surprise we have been told by our estate agent that my Rochford property lawyer is not on the mortgage company Conveyancing panel. How can I be certain whether this is indeed the case?
You need to contact your Rochford conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to inform you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your bank.
We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to instruct their panel conveyancer as I would prefer to appoint a Rochford based conveyancing firm?
Do check but the the likelihood is that give you one of their panel lawyers where you take up the "fee-free" incentive. Call the bank and see if they make available a cash alternative. In the past a few mortgage companies offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor near Rochford.
Do I need to be wary about brokers that I am dealing with are recommending an online conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Rochford conveyancing firm?
As with lots of professional services, often recommendations from relatives can be extremely useful or valuable. Nevertheless there are numerous parties with a vested interest in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, mortgage brokers and mortgage companies may suggest solicitors to instruct. Sometimes these conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but occasionally there might be a commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You are free to select your own conveyancer. However, bear in mind that some banks have an approved list of law firms you have to use for the mortgage related work in your transaction.
In surfing the world wide web for the words conveyancing in Rochford it shows results of numerous property lawyersin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the suitable conveyancer for the sale of my house?
The ideal method of choosing a suitable conveyancer is through a trusted testimonial, so ask colleagues and those you trust who have purchased a property in Rochford or the respected estate agent or mortgage broker. Charges for conveyancing in Rochford vary, so it's advisable to secure a minimum of four fee estimates from varying types of solicitors. Make sure that you clarify that the costs are assured not to increase.
What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Rochford conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?
When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Rochford conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Rochford conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be useful:
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How many lease extensions have they completed in Rochford in the last 12 months? What are the charges for lease extension work?
I acquired a 1 bedroom flat in Rochford, conveyancing was carried out October 1995. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent flats in Rochford with over 90 years remaining are worth £211,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease ceases on 21st October 2093
With 68 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.
Is planning permission needed to split a house into multiple appartments in Rochford? This has been carried out to a property next door to my house in Rochford and was unaware of the conversion until it was done.
Planning consent is needed for converting a single dwelling in Rochford into flats but probably not for reverting back to single dwelling-house so, in answer to your question, yes.