I had a mortgage agreed in principle with Nationwide. Brook Green conveyancing solicitors are chosen. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Nationwide?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Nationwide done the valuation? Have you advised Nationwide as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Brook Green. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Santander have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Santander your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions outlined in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Santander. The CML Handbook contains minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Santander where a lease fails to meet these conditions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not isolated to Brook Green.
I am expecting a DIP from Aldermore this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Aldermore recommend any Brook Green solicitors on the Aldermore conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Brook Green solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Aldermore through the process.
Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that may impact a commercial estate in Brook Green?
Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Brook Green will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers invest in looking into accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Brook Green. The report sets out definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Brook Green.
For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Brook Green it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. Failure to identify developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately could result in delays to Brook Green commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not carried out for residential conveyancing in Brook Green.
Me and my brother own a terraced Georgian house in Brook Green. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Alliance & Leicester . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Brook Green and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the work.
How does conveyancing in Brook Green differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Brook Green contact us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is finished. This is because developers in Brook Green typically purchase 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 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 used to new build conveyancing in Brook Green or who has acted in the same development.
Am I better off to choose a Brook Green conveyancing practitioner who is local to the property I am purchasing? I have an old university friend who can conduct the conveyancing but his firm is located 200kilometers away.
The primary upside of using a local Brook Green conveyancing practice is that you can attend the office to sign documents, hand in your ID and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local Brook Green know how is a bonus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have instructed your friend and in the main were impressed that should trump using an unknown Brook Green conveyancing solicitor just because they are based in the area.