Do the conveyancing solicitors that you recommend execute conveyancing in Bedfordshire by way of an attended exchange?

There are a few conveyancing experts who can conduct personalised exchanges. Please contact us to secure a conveyancing quote and details as to availability.

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Bedfordshire. My lender is Accord Mortgages

Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 18/3/2023, the requirements read as follows :

Me and my partner are purchasing a house in Bedfordshire. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? On completion day we will need to send money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

A colleague informed me that in purchasing a property in Bedfordshire there may be a number of restrictions preventing external alterations to a property. Is this right?

There are a number of properties in Bedfordshire which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external variations. Part of the conveyancing in Bedfordshire should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I've digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Bedfordshire solicitor - who is on the Santander conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Santander will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Santander 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. You may wish to consider appointing your own Bedfordshire surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

About to purchase a new build flat in Bedfordshire. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Bedfordshire

Please supply a car parking plan. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my 2 bed flat in Bedfordshire. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have just received a quarterly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is clear the service charge as you normally would because all rents and service payments should be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I acquired a 1 bedroom flat in Bedfordshire, conveyancing formalities finalised August 2007. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Bedfordshire with over 90 years remaining are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2092

With only 69 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.