At what point will exchange of contracts happen for residential conveyancing in Windlesham and do I need to be at the conveyancers branch?

Where you are in close proximity to our conveyancing solicitors in Windlesham you are invited in to sign contracts. That being said, the firms we work with supply a national conveyancing service and provide just as detailed and professional a job for you when dealing with you digitally. The signing of the property agreement is not the important part. Signing on the dotted line is necessary for the conveyancer to exchange contracts when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a long "chain" is involved, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Windlesham)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

The Windlesham conveyancing solicitors that I recently instructed on my purchase in Windlesham have suddenly closed. I chose them because I had to have a lawyer on the RBS conveyancing panel and my preferred Windlesham lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £195 for searches. What should be my next steps?

If you have an estate agent involved then let them know immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the RBS conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to help.

A colleague pointed out to me me that in buying a property in Windlesham there may be a number of restrictions as to what one can do in terms of external alterations to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Windlesham which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Windlesham should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I am purchasing a terrace house in Windlesham. We would like to convert the garage to a playroom at the house.Will legal work on the property include enquiries to ascertain if these works are allowed?

Your property lawyer will check the deeds as conveyancing in Windlesham can occasionally reveal restrictions in the title deeds which restrict certain works or need the permission of another owner. Certain extensions call for local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be prudent to check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in April 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Kent Reliance are being problematic. The Windlesham solicitor who is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Kent Reliance are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Kent Reliance have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Kent Reliance have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Kent Reliance 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 today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Windlesham. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Windlesham ?

Most houses in Windlesham are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Windlesham so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Windlesham conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Windlesham - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? Best to be warned whether fixing the lift or some other significant cost is coming up to be shared between the leaseholders and may well dramatically increase the the service charges or necessitate a specific invoice. How much is the ground rent and service charge?

How much experience do your Windlesham conveyancing solicitors have with Help To Buy, Shared Equity and similar schemes?

Windlesham conveyancing lawyers help thousands of people move home every year and helped plenty of clients through the Help To Buy scheme. The chances are that whatever makes your case unique Windlesham conveyancers have worked on recent similar matters.