I am in a contract race with another prospective purchaser for a property in Highcliffe. What can I do to expedite matters?

In a situation where you are under a tight deadline for your conveyancing we would recommend that your solicitor is familiar with the area as they will benefit local relationships and knowledge. It is even conceivable that they would have transacted previousproperties in the same road. You would be best advised to use a Highcliffe conveyancing solicitor. Second, double check that the lawyer is on the member panel. It is understood that nearly one in five of Highcliffe conveyancing transactions are suspended or derailed after discovering a purchaser’s lawyer was not on their banks panel. In many cases this discovery resulted in the transaction being frustrated by almost 21 days. It is estimated that this issue affects in the region of 100,000 home moves every year. Almost all Highcliffe conveyancing practices can not act for certain lenders so do check at the outset.

Have purchased a a detached house in Highcliffe , how long will it take for the Land Registry to register my ownership? My Highcliffe conveyancing solicitor has been very slow, so I want to be sure that my ownership is registered.

As far as conveyancing in Highcliffe registration is no quicker or slower than anywhere else in England and Wales. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can differ according to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry must send notices to any third parties. As of today approximately three quarters of submission are fully dealt with within 12 days but some can be subject to protracted hold-ups. Registration is effected after the new owner has moved in to the property thus post completion formalities is not always top priority yet if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer must speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I am purchasing my first flat in Highcliffe with a loan from Lloyds TSB Bank. The developers would not reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent told me not reveal to my solicitor about this side-deal as it will adversely affect my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my ground floor apartment in Highcliffe. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, however I have recently had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is clear the maintenance contribution as normal as all ground rent and maintenance charges should be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

Highcliffe Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before buying

It would be prudent to discover as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they can either make your living at the property much simpler or problematic. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches 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. You should not be shy to ask prospective neighbours whether they are happy with them. Finally, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely how they are spending the funds. It is important to be aware whether fixing the lift or some other major work is due in the foreseeable future that will be shared amongst the leaseholders and will materially increase the the service charges or necessitate a specific payment. Is anyone aware of any major works in the near future that will likely add a premium to the maintenance fees?

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Highcliffe. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Highcliffe are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Highcliffe in which case you should be shopping around for a Highcliffe conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.