I have a semi-detached Edwardian property in Wimbledon. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Chelsea Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
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 Wimbledon and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.
I am buying a new build house in Wimbledon with a mortgage from Santander. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The estate agent told me not disclose to my solicitor about the extras as it will adversely affect my mortgage with the bank. Is this normal?.
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've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Wimbledon is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Wimbledon are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Wimbledon you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Wimbledon may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
What tools are available to search for a Wimbledon solicitor on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel? I drive a motor bike and am prepared to travel upto 20miles to meet the lawyer.
You can use the tool on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of Wimbledon conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have listed some Wimbledon conveyancing firms towards the end of this page and you can telephone them to verify whether they are on the Chelsea Building Society approved list
In my capacity as executor for the estate of my grandmother I am selling a property in Neath but I am based in Wimbledon. My lawyer (based 250 kilometers from mehas requested that I execute a stat dec prior to the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Wimbledon who can witness and place their company stamp on the document?
strictly speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or qualified solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Wimbledon based
We are midway through purchasing a property in Wimbledon. Conveyancing lawyer has told us the title is "Leasehold". Does this adversely affect our Santander valuation?
Wimbledon conveyancing does not usually involve leasehold houses. The main consideration here is the unexpired lease term and the ground rent. If there are hundred of years years remaining with a nominal rent, it's almost the same as freehold, so it shouldn't impact the saleability significantly.
At the other extreme, if it's, say, fifty five years it will have a significant effect on the saleability, and probably wouldn't be mortgageable. The length of lease and ground rent will be set out in the lease provided to your conveyancing practitioner.