We are about to exchange contracts for a freehold house in Cookham. We have hit a problem. The loan offer with Skipton Building Society expires on 11/5/2023 but the vendors are putting forward a completion date of 15/5/2023. Can one extend the mortgage offer?

The person best placed to address this concern is your solicitors who is in a position to determine whether he or she is corresponding with the mortgage company, seller’s conveyancers, property agents or indeed all three given what has happend in your transaction as of today.

As someone not used to conveyancing in Cookham what’s the number one tip you can give me for the legal transfer of property in Cookham

Not many law firms or advisers will tell you this but conveyancing in Cookham and elsewhere in Berkshire is often a confrontational process. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there is lots of opportunity for friction between you and other parties involved in the legal transfer of property. For example, the seller, estate agent and on occasion the lender. Selecting a law firm for your conveyancing in Cookham an important selection as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE person in the legal process whose role it is to protect your legal interests and to protect you.

We are witnessing a worrying ongoing adversarial element to conveyancing- someone has to be at fault for the process being so protracted. You should always trust your solicitor ahead of the other parties when it comes to the legal assignment of property.

We're in Cookham, First timers buying with a mortgage (lender is Skipton , and our solicitor is on the Skipton conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

I am one month into a freehold purchase having been referred to conveyancers by the local agent to do our conveyancing in Cookham. I am am very frustrated with the quality of service. Can you help me find new lawyers?

They would have to be really poor in order to consider diss instructing them. Has the loan offer been generated? If so you need to make them aware of the new contact details and have the mortgage documents are re-issued. Your conveyancer should be on the lenders approved list to avoid supplemental expenses and frustration. That should be your starting point. Our search tool can help you find a bank approved solicitor for your home move in Cookham

I own a leasehold flat in Cookham. Conveyancing and Virgin Money mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing practitioner in Cookham who acted for me is not around. Do I pay?

First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Cookham conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Cookham Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Many Cookham leasehold apartments will incur a service bill for maintenance of the block invoiced by the landlord. If you purchase the flat you will have to pay this liability, usually quarterly during the year. This can vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal grounds. In all probability there will be a rentcharge to be met yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant sum, say around £25-£75 but you need to enquire it because on occasion it could be many hundreds of pounds. Are there any major works in the planning that will likely add a premium to the maintenance costs? You should want to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the building as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily matters like the tidiness of the common parts. Don't be shy to ask other tenants what they think of them. In conclusion, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money.