Me and my partner are buying our first home. The conveyancer has texted usto see if we wish to order extra conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's recommended for conveyancing in St James's
The type of St James's conveyancing searches should be triggered based entirely on the property, the location, the possibility of any of these risks, your familiarity of the area and risks, your overall attitude to risk. What is important is that you properly understand what information the searches could supply. Then you can make a decision if you consider that you need that information. Should you be unsure, ask the lawyer to guide you.
I have 70 years unexpired on my lease and require a lease extension for my apartment in St James's. Conveyancing solicitors on the Bank of Ireland panel can deal with such extensions right?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Bank of Ireland have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 6/10/2025 the requirements read as follows :
I am helping my niece sell her flat in St James's. Does the solicitor arrange the energy performance certificate or should I organise this?
Following the demise of HIPs, energy assessments was retained a compulsory element of selling a property. An energy performance certificate needs to be commissioned before the property is advertised. This is not a task that solicitors normally organise. Where you are using a St James's conveyancing practitioner they may be willing to arrange EPC’s given their relationships with reputable St James's accredited person
is it true that all St James's solicitors on the RBS conveyancing panel are governed by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the RBS conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the practice would be overseen by the CLC.
The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in St James's. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?
All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.
About to purchase a new build flat in St James's. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.
Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in St James's
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The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants.
Hoping to buy a property located in St James's and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about St James's. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the St James's area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?
Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at St James's. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found
Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden apartment in St James's. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?
The sensible thing to do is discharge the service charge as normal given that all ground rent and maintenance payments should be allotted on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.
I own a a ground floor purpose built flat in St James's. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the premium payable for the purchase of the freehold?
Where there is a absentee freeholder or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to judgment on the sum to be paid.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a St James's premises is 20 Avonwick Road in July 2013. The Tribunal was dealing with an application under Section 26 of the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 for a determination of the freehold value of the property. It was concluded that the price to be paid was Fifteen Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy (£15,970) divided as to £8,200 for Flat 20 and £7,770 for Flat 20A This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 73.26 years.