What is the best way to find the right lawyer to give a first class service for our conveyancing in Staffordshire?
First ask your friends and family who they used in the past and if they were happy with the service.
Second, search the web for conveyancing in Staffordshire. Phone two or three from the list and request that they email you their conveyancing fees and discuss your needs with the solicitor who will oversee the legal process ahead ofmaking your choice.
Option 3 is to use our search tool to help you find the right lawyers taking into account your unique factors including location,speed, complications and who your intended mortgage company is. Resist the temptation to opt for £99 conveyancing in Staffordshire
I am considering applying for a Bank of Ireland mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) in Staffordshire with 60% loan to value. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Bank of Ireland ?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Bank of Ireland will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
Should my solicitor be raising enquiries regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Staffordshire.
Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors specialising in conveyancing in Staffordshire. Plenty of people will purchase a house in Staffordshire, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.
Lawyers are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that may be initiated by the purchaser or by their solicitors which should figure out the risks in Staffordshire. The standard information sent to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual question of the vendor to discover whether the premises has suffered from flooding. If flooding has previously occurred which is not notified by the seller, then a buyer could commence a claim for damages as a result of such an incorrect reply. The purchaser’s solicitors will also conduct an environmental report. This should disclose whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be initiated.
My husband and I are four weeks into a residential purchase having been directed to a firm by the estate agent to carry out the conveyancing in Staffordshire. We are not happy. Could you help me find new solicitors?
A lawyer would have to be very bad to suggest changing them. Has the mortgage offer been issued? If so you will need to inform them of the new lawyer and ensure the offer are re-issued. Your solicitor ideally should be on the lenders approved list to avoid escalating expenses and frustration. That should be your first question of the new lawyers. Our search tool can assist you in finding a lender approved solicitor for your home move in Staffordshire
I am looking at a two maisonettes in Staffordshire both have about forty five years left on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?
There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Staffordshire is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the property. For most buyers and banks, leases with under 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Staffordshire conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
I bought a 1st floor flat in Staffordshire, conveyancing was carried out July 2005. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Staffordshire with over 90 years remaining are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2086
You have 60 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £20,000 and £23,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.
Some weeks ago I was advised by my bank that their panel conveyancers operate no sale no charge basis for conveyancing in Staffordshire. I had a purchase abort nevertheless the lawyers have requested search fees! They are stating that the fees are nothing to do with their fees!
Staffordshire conveyancing search charges are separate expenses not legal costs as these are due to a third party.