Can you clarify what the consequences are if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Clydesdale Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in St Neots?

The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

What is your number one tip for finding a conveyancing solicitor in St Neots

We would encourage you not to go for the lowest St Neots conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of time.

I am assisting my mother sell her property in St Neots. Will the conveyancing solicitor arrange the energy performance certificate or it is for the owner to see to?

After the demise of Home Packs, energy performance certificates was kept a mandatory element of selling a property. An EPC must be commissioned prior to the property being advertised. It is not as aspect of the sale process that law firms ordinarily arrange. If you are using a St Neots conveyancing practitioner they might be willing to arrange energy assessments due to their relationships with long established St Neots providers

Is it the case that all St Neots CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Barclays conveyancing list of approved firms?

A selection of lenders now utilise the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

Will our lawyer be asking questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in St Neots.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers conducting conveyancing in St Neots. There are those who buy a house in St Neots, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a various searches that can be carried out by the purchaser or by their solicitors which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in St Neots. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms given to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a standard question of the seller to determine if the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the premises has been flooded in past which is not notified by the vendor, then a buyer could commence a compensation claim as a result of such an incorrect response. The purchaser’s solicitors should also commission an enviro search. This should disclose if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further inquiries will need to be carried out.

The deeds to our home are lost. The conveyancers who did the conveyancing in St Neots 10 years ago are no longer around. What do I do?

Gone are the days when you need to hold title official documentation to establish that you own the land or premises, given that the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 68 years left on my flat in St Neots. I now wish to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What should I do?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to track down the lessor. In some cases an enquiry agent should be useful to conduct investigations and prepare a report which can be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing St Neots.

St Neots Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

The prefered form of lease arrangement is where the freehold interest is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this scenario the lessees benefit from being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is usually retained where it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent employed by the leaseholders. You will want to discover as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily issues such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. You should not be afraid to ask other tenants if they are happy with them. Finally, find out the dates that the service charges are due to the relevant party and specifically what you get for your money.