Having sold my house in Chatteris last December yet the purchaser is texting daily to moan that his lawyer is waiting to hear from mine. What are the post completion sale formalities following completion?

Post completion of your sale your solicitor should forward the transfer deeds and all supplemental paperwork to the purchaser's solicitors. Where relevant, your lawyer must also evidence that the mortgage has been discharged to the purchasers lawyers. There are no post completion tasks just for conveyancing in Chatteris.

What will a local search reveal concerning the house we're buying in Chatteris?

Chatteris conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations such as Searchflow The local search plays a central role in most Chatteris conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any nasty surprises after you move into your property. The search should supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject sections.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and identified one close by in Chatteris I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Chatteris for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage that many years will be an issue. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign 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 about this matter.

Should I instruct a Chatteris conveyancing practitioner who is local to the property I am purchasing? I have an old university friend who can execute the legal work but they are based 200kilometers drive away.

The primary upside of using a local Chatteris conveyancing practice is that you can attend the office to execute documents, hand in your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local Chatteris know how is a plus. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If if people you trust used your friend and in the main were happy that must outweigh using an unfamiliar Chatteris conveyancing solicitor just because they are local.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Chatteris. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Chatteris are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Chatteris in which case you should be looking for a Chatteris conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor should appraise you on the various issues.

Chatteris Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying

On the whole the outlay for major works are not included within maintenance charges, albeit that some managing agents in Chatteris require leaseholders to pay into a reserve fund and this is used to offset against major repairs or maintenance. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments?