Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Scunthorpe is not listed on my lender's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?
That is most likely an incorrect assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Scunthorpe conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list 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 appoint their panel solicitor as I would much rather appoint a high street conveyancing solicitor in Scunthorpe?
You should check but the the probability is that appoint one of their panel lawyers where you want the "fee-free" offer. Call the lender and explore if they allow a monetary alternative. Some banks have previously offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case you could put that amount towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor near Scunthorpe.
Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my house are lost. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Scunthorpe 4 years ago have long since closed. What do I do?
You no longer need to have the physical deeds to prove you own the land or property, given that the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.
How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in Scunthorpe and how can you help?
The 1954 Act gives a safeguard to commercial leaseholders, giving them the a statutory right to make a request to court for a renewal tenancy and continue in occupation at the end of the lease term. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are involved. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Scunthorpe is one of the hundreds of locations in which the firms we work with are based
I am a negotiator for a busy estate agency in Scunthorpe where we have witnessed a few flat sales jeopardised as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local Scunthorpe conveyancing solicitors. Could you shed some light as to whether the seller of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the buyer?
As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.
Scunthorpe Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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Is there a share of the freehold? Best to be warned whether changing the roof or some other major work is anticipated to be shared between the leasehold owners and could well materially increase the the service costs or necessitate a specific payment. If a Scunthorpe lease has less than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the value of the apartment. Check with your lender that they are content with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you will need to own the property for a couple of years before you are legally able to exercise a lease extension.
We are in the process of acquiring a home in Scunthorpe. Conveyancing is not complete but we would like keep the amount we are are buying for a secret from the likes of Rightmove. How do I make sure this is not noted?
HM Land Registry are legally obliged to note price sold data on a register of the title for residential properties nationwide including homes in Scunthorpe. The register of ownership is a public document, so HM Land Registry would be breaking the law if they did not allow access to the register.
You can make a request of HM Land Registry to hide the price paid entry yet the response would be in the negative.