I require conveyancing for a flat in a fairly new development (five years built) in Barnes Cray. Almost all the properties are already disposed of. Do I need carry out the local searches as part of conveyancing in Barnes Cray?
You are opening yourself up to an unnecessary risk in refusing to carrying out Barnes Cray 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 without a mortgage there is no legal necessity to have them, but we would seriously advise in the strongest possible terms that your conveyancer conducts them. If time pressures and price are top of your concerns you should discuss with your conveyancer about the viability of search insurance
After scouring online forums for a high-quality solicitor in Barnes Cray, most advise that I should look for a CQS assured lawyer. Can you explain what CQS is?
The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised kitemark for legal experts in home ownership transfers, trusted by some of the UK's biggest lenders. Four years ago the Conveyancing Quality Scheme was officially recognised by the Legal Ombudsman. The scheme does not cover licenced conveyancers. Barnes Cray is one of the numerous areas in England and Wales where there are CQS solicitors.
Are all Barnes Cray Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Aldermore conveyancing list of approved firms?
It is true that some banks and building societies now make use of the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their panels.
My husband and I are in the throws of viewing apartments in Barnes Cray and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a conveyancing practitioner appointed at this stage? I intend to finance via a mortgage with UBS.
It would be wise 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 pass their details on to the estate agent. As you are getting a mortgage with UBS, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the UBS conveyancing panel.
I've read lots of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Barnes Cray solicitor - who is on the Principality conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Principality will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Principality 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 lawyer 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 Barnes Cray postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Principality, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Barnes Cray.
A colleague suggested that if I am purchasing in Barnes Cray I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Barnes Cray conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Barnes Cray around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Barnes Cray Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics 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 about Barnes Cray.
How does conveyancing in Barnes Cray differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Barnes Cray approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because new home sellers in Barnes Cray tend to buy the land, 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Barnes Cray or who has acted in the same development.