I am hoping to receive a offer of a home loan from Halifax. I intend to employ the services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Greater Manchester. Does the Halifax Solicitor panel include conveyancers regulated by the CLC?
The Halifax conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
I appreciate that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Do I require this when acquiring a residence in Greater Manchester? or Apparently there is an ancient law that could mean that homeowners living in a parish church boundary will be compelled to contribute towards repairs to the chancel in proximity to the church. Is this relevant for conveyancing in Greater Manchester?
Unless a prior acquisition of the property completed after 12 October 2013 you may take it that solicitors delivering conveyancing in Greater Manchester to continue to propose a a chancel search and or chancel repair liability insurance.
I have a terraced Georgian property in Greater Manchester. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Skipton Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the matching property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Greater Manchester and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.
How does conveyancing in Greater Manchester differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Greater Manchester approach us having been asked by the developer to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is completed. This is because new home sellers in Greater Manchester typically purchase 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 property lawyers 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 used to new build conveyancing in Greater Manchester or who has acted in the same development.
My husband and I are FTB’s - agreed a price, yet the agent has warned us that the owners will only go ahead if we instruct their chosen lawyers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Greater Manchester
We suspect that the owner is unaware of this demand. If they desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is not the way to achieve this. Avoid the agents and go straight to the sellers and make sure they understand (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are ready to progress, with mortgage lined up © you are chain free (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you will continue to use your preferred Greater Manchester conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give the negotiator at the agency a introducer fee or achieve conveyancing targets demanded by senior management.