The Exeter conveyancing solicitors that I recently instructed on my purchase in Exeter have without warning closed. I only went with them because I needed a firm on the TSB conveyancing panel and my preferred Exeter lawyer was not. I paid them funds in advance. What do I do now?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know immediately so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the TSB conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to help.
I bought my apartment on 10 January and the transaction details are still not on the land registry website. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in Exeter expressed confidence that it would be concluded in a couple of weeks. Are titles in Exeter uniquely lengthy to register?
As far as conveyancing in Exeter registration is no quicker or slower than the rest of the country. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can differ subject to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and whether the Land registry must send notices to any interested parties. Currently roughly three quarters of such applications are completed within 12 days but occasionally there can be protracted hold-ups. Registration is effected once the buyer has moved in to the premises thus an expedited registration is not typically top priority but where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor must contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and found one near me in Exeter I like with a park and transport links nearby, however it only has 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in Exeter for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be problematic. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.
I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing lawyer in Exeter for my house move. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?
You can see documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions started on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find information Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded call for training reasons.
I am buying a leasehold flat in Exeter. Conveyancing estimates are coming in at around £1700. Does that seem right?
The average cost in 2014 for conveyancing in Exeter was £1,419 excluding SDLT and Land Registry fees.