I have given 2 months notice to my existing landlord and must vacate my let out property in Duxford by 5/5/2023. Conveyancing on my purchase is progressing. Is it possible to complete in a couple of weeks as I wish to avoid having to find temporary accommodation?

The normal practice is not to provide notice on a rental until exchange of contracts has taken place. Assuming that you have not previously done so, notify to your lawyer and urge them to they apply pressure on the owners solicitors, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will aim to achieve

As someone clueless as to the Duxford conveyancing process what is the number one tip you can impart concerning the legal transfer of property in Duxford

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Duxford or throughout England and Wales is often a confrontational experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there is lots of room for friction between you and other parties involved in the house moving process. For instance, the seller, property agent and sometimes your mortgage company. Selecting a law firm for your conveyancing in Duxford an important selection as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE person in the process whose responsibility is to act in your legal interests and to keep you safe.

On occasion a potential adversary will try and sway you that you should follow their advice. For instance, the property agent may claim to be helping by claiming that your lawyer is slow. Or your mortgage broker may try to convince you to do something that is contrary to your conveyancers recommendation. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the home moving process.

This question may be naive but I am new to the process as a 1st time buyer of a garden flat in Duxford. Do I collect the keys to the house on completion from my solicitor? If so, I will appoint a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Duxford?

On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in Duxford. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the purchase money to the seller's conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be called to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this occurs between 1 and 3pm.

My fiancee and I are in the process of looking at apartments in Duxford and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it sensible to have my property lawyer on ‘stand by’? I am planning to take a home loan with Kent Reliance.

It would be prudent 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 pass their details on to the selling agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with Kent Reliance, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Duxford off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Santander. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Santander, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Santander conveyancing panel.

How does conveyancing in Duxford differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Duxford contact us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because builders in Duxford usually acquire the real estate, 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Duxford or who has acted in the same development.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Duxford conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Duxford conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Duxford conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:

How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation? If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

Duxford Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

It would be prudent to discover if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. For instance plenty of leases prohibit pets being permitted in certain buildings in Duxford. If you love the propertyin Duxford but your dog can’t live with you then you will be faced hard determination. You will want to find out as much as you can concerning the company managing the building as they will either make your life much simpler or uncomfortable. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day matters such as the tidiness of the common parts. Enquire of other people whether they are happy with them. On a final note, be sure you understand the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending the funds. Generally speaking the outlay for major works are not included within service charges, although there some managing agents in Duxford obliged leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against major repairs or maintenance.