We're in Wootton Bassett, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Santander , and our lawyer is on the Santander conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Santander conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

We are aiming to move house in October. Will my conveyancing solicitor liaise with the removal company on the completion day. Incidentally, can you suggest a removal company in Wootton Bassett. Conveyancing firm was organised before I stumbled across this website.

On the day of completion you will need to collect the house keys from your property agent however this can only happen once the previous owners lawyers confirm to the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be released. You should tell the removal men that they can start moving you in. As a matter of policy we do not recommend a particular removal company but can assist you in finding a conveyancing in Wootton Bassett or a legal practice that specialises in conveyancing in Wootton Bassett.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Bank of Ireland. I assume I don't need a Wootton Bassett property lawyer on the Bank of Ireland panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your Bank of Ireland mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Bank of Ireland mortgage from the register. Bank of Ireland, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Bank of Ireland has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Bank of Ireland has instructed the Land Registry to do so

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Wootton Bassett. I have a mortgage agreed with RBS. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with RBS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the RBS conveyancing panel.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what was supposed to be a simple, chain free conveyancing. Wootton Bassett is where the house is located. Can you offer any guidance?

Flying freeholds in Wootton Bassett are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Wootton Bassett you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Wootton Bassett may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to let out our Wootton Bassett ground floor flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Wootton Bassett conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

A lease dictates the relationship between the freeholder and you the flat owner; specifically, it will say if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. Most leases in Wootton Bassett do not contain subletting altogether – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the property. Instead, there is usually a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the tenancy agreement.

Wootton Bassett Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

The prefered form of lease structure is if the freehold interest is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this situation the leaseholders enjoy being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is often employed where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent employed by the leaseholders. It would be sensible to enquire if there are any onerous restrictions in the lease. For example it is very common in Wootton Bassett leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Wootton Bassett. If you love the propertyin Wootton Bassett but your cat is not allowed to make the move with you then you have a very hard decision. You should want to discover as much as possible about the company managing the block as they can either make your life much simpler or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues such as the cleanliness of the common parts. Ask prospective neighbours what they think of them. Finally, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the relevant party and specifically what it includes.

Do I have to have a meeting at the offices of the lender conveyancing panel solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Wootton Bassett as it will be easier to attend their offices if required.

Whereas this was necessary 15 years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Wootton Bassett.