My partner and I are planning to buy a house in Wraysbury and have instructed a Wraysbury conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. TSB have this afternoon contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Wraysbury lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?

Where you are buying a property requiring a mortgage it is usual for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Wraysbury solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

I am the registered owner of a freehold property in Wraysbury but nevertheless pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Wraysbury and has limited impact for conveyancing in Wraysbury but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of new rentcharges post 1977.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 is to be extinguished.

I can see plenty of information on this site concerning conveyancing in Wraysbury but what is your top tip for finding the right conveyancer in Wraysbury

It would be unwise to be seduced by the lowest Wraysbury conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.

Can I be sure that the Wraysbury conveyancing solicitor on the Lloyds panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Wraysbury obtaining recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always recommend that you speak with the solicitor conducting your transaction.

I have paid off my mortgage with Barclays. I assume I don't need a Wraysbury property lawyer on the Barclays panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your Barclays 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 Barclays mortgage from the register. Barclays, 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 Barclays has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Barclays has instructed the Land Registry to do so

What can a local search inform me regarding the property my wife and I purchasing in Wraysbury?

Wraysbury conveyancing often starts with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search organisations such as Onsearch The local search is essential in every Wraysbury conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any unpleasant once you have moved into your new home. The search will reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject areas.

I am buying a new build apartment in Wraysbury. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Wraysbury

Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore.