We were about to choose a conveyancing solicitor in West Hampstead listed using your comparison tool but stumbled across some other fee calculations on the internet seem less expensive – how come?
You can find plenty of conveyancing companies advertising what appear to be very low prices. We would urge you to think twice as to how important this transaction is to you that you are willing to take 'cheap' risks in relation to the quality of the conveyancing. Many of them highlight a bargain fee to catch your eye but conceal supplemental fees in the small print..
I am the registered owner of a freehold residence in West Hampstead yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?
It is rare for properties in West Hampstead and has limited impact for conveyancing in West Hampstead but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.
Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges date back many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.
Previous rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 will be extinguished.
My relative recommended that where I am buying in West Hampstead I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is usually included in the estimate for your West Hampstead conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about West Hampstead around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the West Hampstead Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding West Hampstead.
I am buying a new build house in West Hampstead with the aid of help to buy. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The house builders rep told me not inform my solicitor about this extras as it will adversely affect my loan with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
I was recommended by a few estate agents in West Hampstead to get a quote from a property lawyer on your site. What’s the financial incentive for Estate Agents to promote your site over and above a competitor’s?
We refuse to make any commission for sending work in our direction. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission because members of the public would think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.
I have noted on numerous consumer advice websites that before selecting a conveyancing solicitors they must be approved by your mortgage company. It happens to be my first house move but I have an AIP from Birmingham Midhshires and I already have a local conveyancing solicitor in West Hampstead at the ready. Does Birmingham Midhshires require an approved solicitor to be selected? Does a list of approved solicitors even exist for my conveyancing in West Hampstead?
You need to choose a solicitor that is on the Birmingham Midhshires panel. The first thing to do is ring your preferred West Hampstead conveyancing solicitor to check if they are on the Birmingham Midhshires panel. If they are not approved you have a couple of options available to you here:
- Carry on with your chosen West Hampstead property lawyer but Birmingham Midhshires will need to appoint a conveyancing practitioner from their approved panel. This will result in additional charges and potential frustration.
- Appoint a new conveyancer to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the Birmingham Midhshires conveyancing panel.
- Convince your property lawyer to do everything within their powers to get accepted on the Birmingham Midhshires panel of solicitors.