We have agreed to purchase a house in Braintree. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender UBS be concerned?

As you are obtaining a mortgage with UBS your lawyer must comply with the formal instructions outlined in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for UBS. The CML Handbook contains minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to UBS where a lease does not comply with these requirements. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not isolated to Braintree.

I am expecting a AIP from RBS this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do RBS recommend any Braintree solicitors on the RBS conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Braintree solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the RBS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and RBS through the process.

After what feels like an age I have had an offer on a flat in Braintree accepted, the owners do nevertheless have a dependent purchase. The owners have placed an offer on somewhere, however it’s not yet agreed to, and are looking at other flats in the pipeline. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Braintree. What should be my next step? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with Santander?

It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses prematurely (mortgage application is approx one thousand pounds, then survey, Braintree conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you must ensure that your solicitor is on the Santander approved list. As to the next steps this very much depends on the specifics of your case, motivation for this property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market many purchasers would apply for the mortgage with Santander and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they ask their conveyancing practitioner to move forward with the conveyancing in Braintree.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Braintree?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Braintree. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I am looking for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one round the corner in Braintree I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Braintree for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

Should you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you may request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £400,000 garden flat in Braintree next week. The landlords agents has quoted £312 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Braintree?

Braintree conveyancing on leasehold apartments more often than not requires the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions most will be willing to do so. They are at liberty to charge a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it exceeds £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to sell the property.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Braintree - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

Many Braintree leasehold apartments will incur a service charge for the upkeep of the block set by the landlord. If you acquire the property you will have to meet this contribution, usually quarterly accross the year. This can vary from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal areas. In all likelihood there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, this is usually not a significant sum, say about £25-£75 but you need to enquire as on occasion it could be prohibitively expensive. It would be a good idea to investigate if there are any onerous restrictions in the lease. For instance it is very common in Braintree leases that pets are not allowed in in a block in Braintree. If you love the apartmentin Braintree however your cat can’t move with you then you will be faced difficult choice. Please note that where the lease has no more than 80 years it will affect the value of the property. Check with your lender that they are happy with residual term of the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will almost definitely require a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this will be. Remember, in most cases you will need to own the residence for a couple of years before you are legally able to extend the lease.

What is the reason for new build conveyancing in Braintree being more expensive?

Conveyancing in Braintree for newly converted or new build properties usually involve adoption of highways & drains, building regulations approval, planning permission, new build warranties such NHBC as well as supplemental questions and contractual concerns.