It has come to my attention via my financial adviser that my Chester solicitor is not on the bank Conveyancing panel. What can I do to be certain that this is indeed the case?
You need to contact your Chester lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your bank.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Chester. Do I collect the keys to the property on the completion date from my lawyer? If so, I will appoint a local conveyancing solicitor in Chester?
On the day of completion you will not be required to attend the conveyancers office in Chester. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the completion advance to the owner’s lawyers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be able to pick up the keys from the property Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.
Can you help - my lawyer advises that restrictive coveneant insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Chester conveyancing?
The appropriate level of restrictive coveneant indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between HSBC Bank and Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.
Having digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Chester solicitor - who is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Bank of Ireland will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Bank of Ireland will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancing practitioner will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Chester postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Chester.
Should our conveyancer be raising questions concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Chester.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors dealing with homes in Chester. There are those who buy a property in Chester, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or sell the property. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.
Solicitors are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous checks that may be undertaken by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better understanding of the risks in Chester. The standard completed inquiry forms sent to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) contains a usual question of the owner to discover if the premises has historically flooded. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not revealed by the owner, then a buyer could issue a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading reply. The purchaser’s conveyancers will also order an enviro search. This will reveal if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations will need to be carried out.
In scouring the world wide web for the phrase cheap conveyancing in Chester it brings up many conveyancerslocally. With so much choice what is the best way to find the suitable property lawyer for me?
The best way of seeking a suitable conveyancer is via trusted recommendation, so ask colleagues and relatives who have purchased a property in Chester or the respected estate agent or mortgage broker. Costs for conveyancing in Chester differ, so it's a good idea to request at least three quotes from different solicitors. Make sure that you know what costs in the quote includes.
I want to let out my leasehold apartment in Chester. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Is permission from the freeholder required?
Your lease dictates the relationship between the landlord and you the flat owner; specifically, it will set out if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Chester do not prevent strict prohibition on subletting – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the property. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.
I bought a ground floor flat in Chester, conveyancing having been completed 3 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Chester with an extended lease are worth £191,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2078
You have 53 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £27,600 and £31,800 as well as costs.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.