I have just started taking steps with the intention of swapping over from my existing standard home loan to a Buy to Let Chelsea Building Society mortgage. I have been informed by my broker that I must appoint a lawyer as part of the process. I had a chat the same Swaffham conveyancing solicitor who acted on my behalf when I previously purchased the house. The fee estimate sent of £500 has surprised me as I am not require purchase conveyancing - it’s just a bog-standard refinance.

The estimate fees appear a little high. If you you were to look around you could get the conveyancing a bit cheaper by say £125. That being said, assuming were content with the conveyancing the firm gave you couldlive to regret opting for an an unknown lawyer. Remember to be sure that the conveyancer can represent Chelsea Building Society. You can utilise our search tool to find a Swaffham conveyancing firm on the Chelsea Building Society approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Swaffham.

Can conveyancing in Swaffham to be done within two weeks?

Where the seller is applying a tight deadline to sign contracts it is advisable to make sure that your solicitor is familiar with the location as they will have local contacts and insight. It is possible that they could have conducted otherhouses in the same street. You would be best advised to use a Swaffham conveyancing solicitor. In addition, be sure that the conveyancing firm is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is said that nearly one in five of Swaffham conveyancing deals are frustrated or jeopardised after discovering a purchaser’s lawyer was not on their mortgage lender’s list of approved solicitors. This can often result in the conveyancing being delayed by as much as three weeks. It is said that this issue affects in the region of one hundred thousand home moves every year. Many Swaffham conveyancing firms can not represent certain banks so do check at the outset.

It has been 2 months since my purchase conveyancing in Swaffham took place. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £175,000 when infact I paid £180,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the premises from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

How does conveyancing in Swaffham differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Swaffham contact us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is ready to move into. This is because builders in Swaffham typically buy the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Swaffham or who has acted in the same development.

Last November I purchased a leasehold flat in Swaffham. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee 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).

Swaffham Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

How is the lease structured? Can you tell me if there are any major works in the planning that will increase the service costs? The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this situation the leaseholders benefit from being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is frequently employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders.