Can you suggest a Accord Mortgages Ltd accepted Patcham conveyancing practice who can have us moved in within a very limited time frame? Am I best advised to unstruct a high street Patcham solicitor or a factory type conveyancer?

We can recommend some very good Patcham conveyancing firms. You can also walk up the high street in Patcham. Go in to two or three law practices and request to see a conveyancing solicitor for a costs illustration. Discuss your requirements together with your reasons and get a commitment on your deadline. Select the one that appears most efficient.

We are looking to buy a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Patcham who is on the HSBC approved panel. Can you recommend a local solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for HSBC . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Patcham.

If you had a top tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Patcham what would it be?

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the lowest Patcham conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

I am assisting my step-mother sell her property in Patcham. Will the conveyancer arrange the energy performance certificate or should I organise this?

Following the abolition of Home Packs, energy assessments became a required part of moving property. An EPC should be to hand in advance of the property being advertised. It is not something that conveyancers normally organise. If you are using a Patcham conveyancing lawyer they may be able to arrange EPC’s due to their relationships with long established local providers

How can we know in advance if a Patcham conveyancing solicitor on the Co-operative panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Patcham getting recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always recommend that you speak with the lawyer conducting your transaction.

A colleague advised me that where I am buying in Patcham I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is sometimes included in the estimate for your Patcham conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Patcham around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Patcham.

Last June I purchased a leasehold flat in Patcham. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Patcham Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Does the lease have onerous restrictions? Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability? Many Patcham leasehold flats will have a service charge for maintenance of the block invoiced on behalf of the freeholder. If you purchase the apartment you will have to meet this amount, usually in instalments during the year. This may be anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common areas. In all probability there will be a ground rent for you to pay annual, normally this is not a large sum, say around £25-£75 but you need to check it because occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds.