We see that you have a post code search directory identifying law firms on the RBS conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a referral fee if I retain them for our own conveyancing in Seaham?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the RBS conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Seaham.
We're in Seaham, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Skipton , and our solicitor is on the Skipton conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no solicitor should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
I am assisting my niece sell her property in Seaham. Does the conveyancer order an energy assessment or should I organise this?
After the abolition of Home Information Packs, energy assessments was maintained a required element of selling a house. An EPC should be commissioned prior to the property being put on the market. This is not a task that solicitors ordinarily arrange. Where you are using a Seaham conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange EPC’s due to their contacts with long established Seaham providers
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Co-operative. I assume I don't need a Seaham conveyancer on the Co-operative panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Co-operative 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 Co-operative mortgage from the register. Co-operative, 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 Co-operative has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Co-operative has instructed the Land Registry to do so
Having digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Seaham solicitor - who is on the HSBC conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
HSBC will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually HSBC 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 Seaham 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.
How does conveyancing in Seaham differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Seaham contact us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is finished. This is because new home sellers in Seaham tend to purchase the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Seaham or who has acted in the same development.
I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and found one round the corner in Seaham I like with open areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 61 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Seaham for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
If you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be an issue. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you can 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 current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.
What does commercial conveyancing in Seaham cover?
Seaham conveyancing for business premises covers a broad array of guidance, supplied by regulated solicitors, relating to business premises. For instance, this area of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the assignment of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial loans and the termination of tenancies.