Can I use your services to locate a Conveyancing solicitor in Downend even if I’m not buying or disposing of a house, for example if I wish to acquire a shop in Downend with a loan from Barclays ?

Our search tool is mainly there to locate domestic conveyancing solicitors in Downend but we have set out towards the end of this page a few Downend commercial conveyancing firms. You should make contact with the company directly to see if they are also authorised to represent Barclays

My wife and I are in the throws of viewing apartments in Downend and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it premature to have a solicitor in place? I intend to finance via a home loan with Clydesdale.

It would be sensible to instigate your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the selling agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with Clydesdale, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Downend. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

Aldermore have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a property in Downend has been agreed to, what happens next?

Your property agent will want to know who your solicitors are (make sure the conveyancing practitioners are on the bank’s approved list). Call up Aldermore or the broker and finalise any outstanding paperwork. Aldermore will sellect a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or owners to arrange a time for the valuation to occur. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes about a week to get a mortgage offer. Aldermore will send the offer to you and your conveyancers. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Downend.

I am buying a new build apartment in Downend. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Downend

Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided.

How straightforward is it to use the search facility to find a conveyancing solicitor in Downend on the authorised to act for my bank?

First choose a mortgage company such as Accord Mortgages Ltd, Bank of Scotland or Alliance & Leicester then type in your location e.g. Downend. Conveyancing organisations in Downend and nationally will then be shown.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Downend. Conveyancing and Barnsley Building Society mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing practitioner in Downend who previously acted has now retired. Any advice?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Downend conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I invested in buying a leasehold flat in Downend, conveyancing was carried out in 2004. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar properties in Downend with over 90 years remaining are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2090

With 69 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.