It is a dozen years since I acquired my property in Cottenham. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been instructed on the sale but I can't locate the deeds. Will this jeopardise the sale?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be kept by the mortgage company or they could still be with the conveyancers who oversaw your purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining current official copies of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Cottenham involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

If you had a top tip for selecting a conveyancing solicitor in Cottenham what would it be?

Do not opt for the lowest Cottenham conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Lloyds. Cottenham conveyancing lawyers have been instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Lloyds?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Lloyds completed the valuation? Have you informed Lloyds as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Lloyds conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

Our offer on a detached house in Cottenham has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have put an offer on a flat, however it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other apartments in the pipeline. I have instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in Cottenham. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Santander started?

It is understandable to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses prematurely (home loan application is approx one thousand pounds, then valuation, Cottenham conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you must check that your conveyancer is on the Santander conveyancing panel. Concerning the subsequent stages this very much depends on the uniqueness of your transaction, desire for the property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market the majority of purchasers would apply for the mortgage with Santander and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their solicitor to move forward with searches.

Is it possible to transfer to a new conveyancer as I have to instruct a firm on the Birmingham Midshires conveyancing panel. I hired a family conveyancing solicitor in Cottenham five minutes from me but she is not approved by Birmingham Midshires

We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Cottenham on the Birmingham Midshires panel. Please note that the law firms that we work with do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are registered with the SRA who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Cottenham. In utilising search facility on this page, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Cottenham.

Looking forward to complete next month on a leasehold property in Cottenham. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they report fully tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Cottenham should include some of the following:

Rent payments - how much and what the invoice dates are, and be on notice if this is subject to change You should know if the lease permits you to alter or upgrade aspects of the premises- you must be made aware as to whether any restrictions relates to all alterations or limited to structural alteration, and whether consent is mandated necessary You should be sent a copy of the lease Does the lease prevent you from subletting the property, or having a home office for business What you can do if an adjoining owner is in violation of a provision in their lease?

Cottenham Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Its a good idea to find out as much as possible regarding the managing agents as they can either make your living at the property much simpler or much more difficult. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day matters such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Don't be afraid to ask other tenants what they think of their management. On a final note, be sure you know the dates that the service fees are due to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money. In the main the outlay for major works are not included within service charges, although there some managing agents in Cottenham ask tenants to pay into a sinking fund created for the specific intention of building a fund for larger repairs or maintenance. The majority of Cottenham leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service charge for maintenance of the building set on behalf of the management company. If you buy the property you will have to pay this liability, normally periodically during the year. This may be anything from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common grounds. In all likelihood there will be a ground rent for you to pay annual, normally this is not a large figure, say about £25-£75 but you should to enquire it because sometimes it can be many hundreds of pounds.

I am just shy of a 10% deposit on my apartment purchase in Cottenham , but I still want to exchange. Do I have options?

One option is to try and agree a lower deposit. Most vendors will accept a lesser deposit or even no deposit for a first time buyer or 100% mortgage. Be aware though that if you fail to complete you will still need to hand over a minimum of 10% of the purchase price regardless of how much deposit was agreed.

You can also agree a simultaneous exchange and completion as no deposit is required for this however neither party will be tied in until completion actually takes place and it can be risky if sellers change their mind at the last moment