The vendors of the home we are hoping to buy hired a conveyancing practitioner in Poole who has recommended a exclusivity contract with a non-refundable deposit 10k. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

Lock out contracts are contracts between a home seller and prospective buyer granting the buyer a ‘clear field’ to the sale of the premises within a prescribed time frame. For all intents and purposes, a lock out is a document specifying that you will have a contract at a later date which is the contract for the actual sale. It tends to be used for buyer protection though in some cases, the owner may stand to benefit from such agreements as well. There are numerous positives and negatives to using an agreement but you should to check with your lawyer but note that it may result in costing you more in conveyancing charges. In light of this these contracts are unusual in relation to conveyancing in Poole.

Have just purchased a repossessed house at auction in Poole. Conveyancing is needed. What are my next steps?

Having exchanged you must retain a conveyancing solicitor soon as you are facing a fast approaching deadline in which to complete the deal. All auction property will ordinarily have a corresponding auction pack. This will likely include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the conveyancing papers should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation specific to leasehold premises. You should give this to the solicitor instructed by you at the earliest opportunity. You also need to ensure that you have funds in place to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

We had instructed solicitors locally in Poole on the Coventry BS solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me an additional charge for handling the Coventry BS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Coventry BS?

Provided it is contained in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your lawyer may levy a fee for this. This charge is not dictated by Coventry BS but by your Poole solicitor. Some firms on the Coventry BS panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but plenty of firms include it on their overall fee.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Virgin Money are being pedantic. The Poole solicitor who is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Virgin Money are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Virgin Money have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Virgin Money have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Virgin Money may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I require expedited conveyancing in Poole as I have an ultimatum to exchange contracts in less than one month. Thankfully I do not require a mortgage. Is it possible to escape the need for conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

As you are not getting a home loan you are at liberty not to have searches conducted although no conveyancer would suggest that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in Poole the following are instances of issues that can be revealed and adversely impact market value: Enforcement Notices, Overdue Fees, Outstanding Grants, Railway Schemes,...

I'm buying a new build house in Poole benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative told me not to tell my solicitor about this extras as it would put at risk my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Seventy years unexpired on my lease in Poole. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to track down the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to try and locate and prepare an expert document which can be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Poole.

Poole Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

Can you inform me if there are any major works in the near future that will likely add a premium to the service charges? On the whole the cost for major works are not built into the service charges, although there some managing agents in Poole ask tenants to contribute towards a sinking fund created for the specific intention of building a fund for major works.