I have been told that property searches are the number one cause of hinderance in Prestbury house deals. Is there any truth in this?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the common causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are not likely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Prestbury.

The deeds to my home are lost. The conveyancers who handled the conveyancing in Prestbury 10 years ago are no longer around. What are my options?

You no longer need to hold title official documentation to establish that you are the owner of your registered land or property, given that the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.

I need to find a conveyancing solicitor for leasehold conveyancing in Prestbury. I have stumble across a site which seems to have the perfect answer If it is possible to get all formalities completed via phone that would be preferable. Should I be concerned? What should out be looking out for?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

Back In 2009, I bought a leasehold flat in Prestbury. Conveyancing and Bank of Ireland mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing solicitor in Prestbury who previously acted has now retired. What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Prestbury conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Prestbury - Examples of Queries before buying

It is important to be aware whether a new roof is being put on or some other major work is due shortly that will be shared by the leaseholders and will materially impact the level of the service fees or result in a specific invoice. Make sure you investigate if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. For example it is fairly common in Prestbury leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Prestbury. If you love the propertyin Prestbury but your dog is not allowed to move with you then you have a very hard choice. Plenty Prestbury leasehold apartments will have a service charge for maintenance of the block invoiced by the management company. If you purchase the apartment you will have to pay this contribution, normally in instalments accross the year. This could differ from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal grounds. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant sum, say about £50-£100 but you should to enquire as occasionally it can be many hundreds of pounds.

Builders have suggested I use a property lawyer and I've obtained an estimate from them. It's almost £400 cheaper than my preferred Prestbury lawyer. What's the catch?

Housebuilders normally have lists of conveyancing practitioners who expedite matters and who know the developer’s contract and solicitor. As many developers offer an incentive to use a preferred conveyancer for this reason, any increased charges can be avoided and a builder will not recommend a conveyancing warehouse and run the risk of having the conveyancing stall when they require an exchange within a tight time frame. A counter-argument for not agreeing to use the recommended lawyer is that they may prove reluctant to fight for your interests for fear of alienating the sellers. If you worry that this may be the situation you should remain with your local Prestbury lawyer.