Completed the sale of my flat in Audlem last September but our buyer keeps e-mailing every few hours to say his solicitor needs to hear from mysolicitor. What should have happened following completion?
Post completion of your disposal your solicitor is duty bound to forward the transfer documentation and all supplemental paperwork to the purchaser's conveyancer. Depending on the transaction, your conveyancer must also evidence that the home loan has been discharged to the purchasers solicitors. There is unlikely to be post completion formalities peculiar conveyancing in Audlem.
My husband and I are at the point of viewing apartments in Audlem and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a conveyancing practitioner in place at this stage? I will be getting a mortgage with Virgin Money.
It would be advisable to instigate your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the selling agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with Virgin Money, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.
Planning on purchasing a maisonette in Audlem. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the HSBC conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Audlem property lawyer is on the HSBC conveyancing panel.
I have instructed a Audlem solicitor having made sure that they are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Clydesdale will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Clydesdale will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Audlem postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Clydesdale, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Audlem.
Should my solicitor be raising questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Audlem.
Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Audlem. There are those who buy a property in Audlem, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the purchaser.
Conveyancers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that can be carried out by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which will figure out the risks in Audlem. The standard information given to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual question of the seller to discover if the property has ever been flooded. If flooding has previously occurred and is not notified by the seller, then a purchaser could commence a legal claim for losses resulting from an misleading response. A buyer’s conveyancers should also order an environmental report. This will higlight if there is any known flood risk. If so, further inquiries will need to be carried out.
How does conveyancing in Audlem differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Audlem contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is built. This is because builders in Audlem usually buy 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 conveyancers 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Audlem or who has acted in the same development.
Frank (my husband) and I may need to sub-let our Audlem garden flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Audlem conveyancing practice in 2001 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?
A small minority of properties in Audlem do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting consent.
I own a ground floor flat in Audlem, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1998. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Audlem with over 90 years remaining are worth £179,000. The ground rent is £65 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2082
With only 57 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £26,600 and £30,800 plus professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.