My lawyer in Wiltshire is not listed on the TSB Conveyancing Panel. Can I still use my family solicitor even though they are not on the TSB panel?
The limited options available to you here include:
- Complete the purchase with your preferred Wiltshire solicitors but TSB will need to use a conveyancer on their panel. This will inevitably rack up the total legal charges and cause frustration.
- Find a new solicitor to to deal with the purchase, remembering to check they are on the TSB panel
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Wiltshire?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Wiltshire. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
How does conveyancing in Wiltshire differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Wiltshire come to us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is finished. This is because house builders in Wiltshire usually 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 Wiltshire or who has acted in the same development.
I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Wiltshire I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 51 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Wiltshire for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan that many years will likely be problematic. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.
I have just started marketing my basement flat in Wiltshire.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have recently received a yearly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?
The sensible thing to do is pay the invoice as usual given that all rents and service charges will be allottedas part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until 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