I am buying a brand new flat in Skewen and my solicitor is telling me that she is duty bound to the bank to disclose incentives from the developer. I am on a tight deadline to exchange and I have no desire to prolong matters. is my lawyer playing by the book?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your conveyancing practitioner. A precondition to being on a mortgage company panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I am purchasing a terrace house in Skewen. Our aim is to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will the conveyancing process include enquiries to see if these alterations are prohibited?
Your conveyancer will review the registered title as conveyancing in Skewen will sometimes reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prevent certain works or necessitated the permission of a 3rd party. Some extensions call for local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Clydesdale, do Skewen conveyancers have to pay an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are not aware of any bank fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do levy an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.
My partner and I are in the process of viewing flats in Skewen and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a solicitor in place at this stage? I am planning to take a home loan with Aldermore.
You should start obtaining conveyancing quotes from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the estate agent. Given that you are seeking a mortgage with Aldermore, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel.
My wife and I have a terraced Georgian house in Skewen. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and The Mortgage Works. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
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 Skewen and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the purchase.
How does conveyancing in Skewen differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Skewen approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because house builders in Skewen typically 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 Skewen or who has acted in the same development.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in Skewen and how can you help?
The particular law that you refer to provides a safeguard to business tenants, granting the legal entitlement to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of the lease term. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complex. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing practices who use the act to your advantage and help with commercial conveyancing in Skewen
I am intending to rent out my leasehold flat in Skewen. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?
A lease dictates relations between the freeholder and you the flat owner; in particular, it will set out if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in Skewen do not prevent subletting altogether – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the property. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.
Skewen Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask before buying
-
How many years remain on the lease? Please tell me if there are any major works anticipated that will likely increase the maintenance costs? Its a good idea to discover as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day matters such as the upkeep of the common parts. Don't be shy to ask prospective neighbours what they think of their service. In conclusion, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the appropriate party and precisely what you get for your money.