The vendors of the house we are purchasing have appointed a conveyancing solicitor in Martlesham Heath who has recommended a preliminary contract with a deposit 6,000. Are such contracts generally advanced for Martlesham Heath conveyancing transactions?

Lock out agreements are agreements between a home vendor and purchaser granting the buyer a ‘clear field’ to purchase the property within a prescribed time frame. For all intents and purposes, an exclusivity agreement is a contract specifying that you should receive a contract at a later date which is the contract for the actual sale. It tends to be utilised for buyer confidence though in some cases, the proprietor may stand to benefit from such agreements as well. There are numerous positives and negatives to using them but you should to check with your conveyancer but note that it may result in costing you extra in conveyancing charges. In light of these reasons these contracts are not popular in relation to conveyancing in Martlesham Heath.

As someone unfamiliar with the Martlesham Heath conveyancing process what is the number one tip you can give me for the ownership transfer in Martlesham Heath

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Martlesham Heath or throughout England and Wales is an adversarial experience. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there is lots of room for friction between you and other parties involved in the ownership transfer. E.g., the seller, estate agent and sometimes your mortgage company. Appointing a law firm for your conveyancing in Martlesham Heath is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY person in the process whose interest is to look after your best interests and to protect you.

Sometimes a third party with a vested interest will try and convince you that you should follow their advice. For example, the property agent may claim to be assisting by suggesting your solicitor is dragging his heels. Or your financial adviser may tell you to do something that is contrary to your lawyers guidance. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the conveyancing process.

I just bought a house at auction in Martlesham Heath. Conveyancing is necessary. What happens now?

Having to in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you now have to instruct a conveyancing lawyer as a matter of priority as you are facing a fast approaching deadline in which to complete the transaction. All auction property should have a corresponding auction pack. This will include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. If you have purchased leasehold property the auction pack should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork pertinent to a leasehold property. You need to give this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor ASAP. Do make sure that that you have the requisite funding in order to complete on the date specified in the contract.

My husband and I have arranged the release of further funds on our home loan from Virgin Money as we intend to carry out improvements to our home in Martlesham Heath. Do we need to select a high street Martlesham Heath solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?

Virgin Money do not ordinarily instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Martlesham Heath solicitor - who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Clydesdale will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Clydesdale 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 solicitor 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 Martlesham Heath postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Clydesdale, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Martlesham Heath.

Have purchased a a detached house in Martlesham Heath , What is the estimated time for the Land Registry to deal with the formalities evidencing my proprietorship? My Martlesham Heath conveyancing solicitor has been very slow, so I want to be sure that my name is recorded.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Martlesham Heath registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can differ subject to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry communicate with any third parties. Currently approximately 80% of such applications are fully addressed within 12 days but some can be subject to extensive delays. Registration is effected after the new owner has moved in to the premises therefore post completion formalities is not usually an essential issue but if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer can communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.

There are numerous properties in Martlesham Heath on private lanes. We are purchasing such a house. Are there any benefits to buying a house on a privately owned road?

Martlesham Heath conveyancing solicitors will be well versed in conveyancing houseson private. The lawyer should investigate Land Registry data to find any rights or liabilities. In many cases there is a management company (wholly owned by residents) that residents make annual payments for the upkeep of the road. Where there is one, the road will likely be maintained and look better than council adopted.