We were just about to exchange contracts for a leasehold flat in Worcestershire. We have hit a problem. The mortgage offer with The Mortgage Works runs out on 18/6/2024 but the vendors are putting forward a completion date of 20/6/2024. Is it possible to extend the loan offer?

The best person to deal with your question is your conveyancer who is in a position to assess if they better off negotiating with the bank, owner’s solicitors, property agents or conceivably all parties given the circumstances your conveyancing to date.

My Solicitor in Worcestershire is not on the HSBC Bank Approved Panel. Can I still use my family solicitor even though they are not on the HSBC Bank list of approved lawyers?

Your options are as follows:

1. Carry on with your preferred Worcestershire lawyers but HSBC Bank will need to use a conveyancer on their list of acceptable firms. This will result in additional total conveyancing fees as well as result in delays.
2. Choose a new solicitor to to deal with the purchase, obviously checking they are HSBC Bank approved.
3. Try to convince your HSBC Bank solicitor to seek to join the HSBC Bank panel

How does conveyancing in Worcestershire differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Worcestershire contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is constructed. This is because new home sellers in Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire or who has acted in the same development.

I was advised by numerous estate agents in Worcestershire to get a quote from a conveyancer on your site. Is there a financial upside for Estate Agents to promote your services ahead of a competitor’s?

We refuse to offer any commission for sending work our way. We found it would be just too difficult a fee as a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

Completion is due on the sale of our £225,000 garden flat in Worcestershire next Friday. The management company has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Worcestershire?

Worcestershire conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes often requires the buyer’s solicitor sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer these enquiries most will be content to assist. They are entitled to levy a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is above £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality you have little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Worcestershire - Sample of Queries before buying

Be sure to discover if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For instance it is very common in Worcestershire leases that pets are not allowed in in a block in Worcestershire. If you love the flatin Worcestershire but your cat can’t make the move with you then you have a very difficult choice. How long is the Lease? Is the freehold owned jointly by the leaseholders?