Do conveyancers ask for an advanced payment when it comes to conveyancing in Haxby?
If you are buying a property in Haxby your solicitor will request that you put them with monies to cover the search fees. Generally this is called for to cover the fees of the conveyancing searches. If any down payment is as part of the purchase price then this will be asked for shortly before exchange of contracts. The final balance that is due will be payable a couple of days prior to the day of completion.
I am considering applying for a Principality mortgage for purchase of a newly converted (under development) in Haxby with 60% loan to value. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Principality ?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Principality will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is greater potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Haxby. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Skipton have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Skipton your lawyer must comply with the conveyancing requirements set out in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Skipton. The CML Handbook includes minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to Skipton where a lease fails to meet these specifications. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to Haxby.
I currently have a mortgage with Nottingham for my property in Haxby. Conveyancing was finalised months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Nottingham?
You must advise Nottingham before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Nottingham’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Nottingham directly. You need not do this via a Nottingham conveyancing panel firm.
Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Haxby solicitor - who is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Nottingham will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Nottingham will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Haxby postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Nottingham, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Haxby.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Haxby?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Haxby. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
In what way does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my business premises in Haxby and how can you help?
The particular law that you refer to affords security of tenure to business tenants, granting the legal entitlement to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease reaches an end. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Haxby is one of the hundreds of locations in which the firms we work with are based