We were about to retain a conveyancing solicitor in Woodcote found on your site but stumbled across some other fee calculations on the internet appear less expensive – why is this?

You can find numerous firms advertising alleged cheap conveyancing, yet more often than not additionalcosts result in the final bill being inflated. In accordance with regulatory requirements fees set out in terms of engagement should be fair and reasonable raised The solicitors that we put forward for conveyancing in Woodcote clearly state all charges for the property you plan tobuy.

I have recentlybecome aware that Arc property Solicitors have closed. They carried out my conveyancing in Woodcote for a purchase of a freehold house 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is in my name in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest way to see if the property is registered to you, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Woodcote conveyancing specialists.

How does conveyancing in Woodcote differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Woodcote approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because new home sellers in Woodcote 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 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 Woodcote or who has acted in the same development.

Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Woodcote ahead of instructing conveyancers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. The surveyor has said that some mortgage companies will refuse to grant a mortgage on such a premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different requirements from Birmingham Midshires. If you e-mail us we can look into this further with the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Woodcote. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Woodcote to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

I wish to let out my leasehold flat in Woodcote. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

A small minority of properties in Woodcote do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience dictates that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Woodcote - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying

Most Woodcote leasehold apartments will incur a service bill for the upkeep of the building set on behalf of the landlord. Where you buy the flat you will have to pay this contribution, usually periodically during the year. This can vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common areas. In all probability there will be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a large sum, say about £25-£75 but you should to enquire it because sometimes it can be prohibitively expensive. You should want to discover as much as possible regarding the company managing the building as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day matters such as the cleanliness of the common parts. Don't be shy to ask other people whether they are happy with them. Finally, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending the funds. On the whole the cost for major works tend not to be built into the maintenance charges, although there some managing agents in Woodcote require leaseholders to pay into a reserve fund created for the specific intention of establishing a fund for major repairs or maintenance.