Is there a reason why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Clifton Village costs more?
Clifton Village leasehold properties involve far more paperwork than a freehold purchase, and therefore takes more time to examine and advise upon.Conveyancing will involve the lease having to be checked which is usually a lengthy document, queries raised to ensure that the covenants and conditions have been observed. If it is a flat there will be a management company in existence and the accounts of this will need to be checked and enquiries raised to ensure it is operating efficiently and that all monies due have been paid by the Seller to the company and if not ensuring that money is paid up to date or the appropriate undertakings obtained.
We are buying a terrace house in Clifton Village. Our aim is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will the conveyancing process include checks to ascertain if these alterations were previously refused?
Your property lawyer should check the deeds as conveyancing in Clifton Village will sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which restrict categories of changes or need the consent of a 3rd party. Certain extensions need local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Some areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be sensible to check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.
I am expecting a OIP from Principality this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Principality recommend any Clifton Village solicitors on the Principality conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Clifton Village solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Principality conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Principality through the process.
I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Kent Reliance. Is it usual for Kent Reliance to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Clifton Village is approved on their conveyancing panel? Kent Reliance have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.
A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Kent Reliance to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Clifton Village?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Clifton Village. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
How does conveyancing in Clifton Village differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Clifton Village contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is ready to move into. This is because developers in Clifton Village 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 property lawyers 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 Clifton Village or who has acted in the same development.
Is it best to go with a Clifton Village conveyancing solicitor based in the location that I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can conduct the conveyancing but they are based approximately 350kilometers drive away.
The primary upside of using a high street Clifton Village conveyancing firm is that you can pop in to sign documents, hand in your ID and apply pressure on them where appropriate. They will also have local insight which is a plus. However it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If if people you trust used your friend and on the whole were impressed that must trump using an unfamiliar Clifton Village conveyancing lawyer just because they are local.