I was notified today by my mortgage broker that my Alford solicitor is not on the mortgage company Conveyancing panel. How can I be sure that this is correct?

Your first step should be to contact your Alford conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to notify you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they may be able to suggest a Alford conveyancing practice that is on the conveyancing panel for your mortgage company.

I am buying a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Alford who is on the The Mortgage Works approved. Can you recommend a local conveyancing firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for The Mortgage Works in certain locations such as Alford. We dont recommend any particular firm.

I completed on my house on 10 September and my personal details is yet to be on the land registry website. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in Alford advises it should be concluded in less than a month. Are properties in Alford particularly slow to register?

As far as conveyancing in Alford is concerned, registration is no quicker or slower than the rest of England and Wales. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can differ according to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry need to notify any third persons or bodies. As of today roughly three quarters of such applications are fully dealt with in less than three weeks but some can be subject to longer delays. Historically registration is effected once the purchaser is living at the premises therefore post completion formalities is not typically top priority yet where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor can speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.

How does conveyancing in Alford differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in Alford come to us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because new home sellers in Alford tend to purchase the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Alford or who has acted in the same development.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Alford with the intention of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Alford can be bypassed where you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ lawyers.
A minority of Alford leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their lawyers. If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Arranging a new share certificate is often a time consuming process and delays many a Alford conveyancing transaction. If a new share is necessary, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity. You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable verify this by asking your conveyancers. A buyer’s lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the remaining number of years is below 80 years. It is therefore important at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. The majority of landlords or managing agents in Alford charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold home. You or your lawyers should find out the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Alford.

Alford Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

For most Alford leaseholds the cost for major works tend not to be included within maintenance charges, although a few managing agents in Alford require leaseholders to contribute towards a reserve fund created for the specific intention of establishing a fund for larger works. The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this situation the leaseholders benefit from being in charge if their destiny and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently retained if the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. What restrictions are contained in the Alford Lease?