I require conveyancing for a flat in a relatively new development (five years built) in Cheam. 95% of the properties are already occupied. Do I need carry out the local searches as part of conveyancing in Cheam?
You are opening yourself up to an unnecessary risk in not carrying out Cheam conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying mortgage free there is no legal requirement to have them, but we would absolutely advise in the strongest possible terms that your lawyer conducts them. If accelerating the process and price are top of your issues you should consider with your lawyer about the possibility of search insurance
we are a couple who are hoping to buy a 3 bedroom apartment in Cheam with a loan from Godiva Mortgages Ltd.We have a Cheam conveyancing practitioner but Godiva Mortgages Ltd informed us his firm is not on their "panel". we are left little option but to use a Godiva Mortgages Ltd panel solicitor or keep our local solicitor and fork out for a Godiva Mortgages Ltd panel lawyer to represent them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Godiva Mortgages Ltd use our lawyer?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you contains various provisions, one of which will be that solicitors must be on the Godiva Mortgages Ltd approved list. in the past, most lenders had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Godiva Mortgages Ltd
A colleague suggested that if I am buying in Cheam I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Cheam conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing significant information about Cheam around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Cheam.
Me and my brother have a semi-detached Edwardian property in Cheam. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Coventry 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, another for leasehold with the matching address. 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 as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Cheam and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the position with the conveyancing solicitor who carried out the work.
My husband and I are planning to purchase a 2 room apartmentin Cheam with a residential mortgage from a bank. We like our solicitor in Cheam however our bank advise she’s not approved on their "panel". We have to appoint from the our lender panel firms or stay with our Cheam solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; Can we not simply insist that our bank use our Cheam lawyer?
No, not really. The mortgage company home loan offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank's conveyancing panel. in the past, most lenders had open panels, including almost all conveyancing solicitors in Cheam : a mortgagee could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for your lender.