When will exchange of contracts take place for domestic conveyancing in St Columb and am I required to be at the conveyancers branch?

Where you are round the corner to our conveyancing solicitors in St Columb you are invited in to sign the paperwork. However, the firms we recommend offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you electronically. The signing of the contract is not the important part. Signing on the dotted line is necessary for the solicitor to officially exchange at the appropriate time, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where an extended "chain" is involved, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in St Columb)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

I got the keys to my flat on 5 August and the transaction details are still not registered. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in St Columb expressed confidence that it would be recorded in a couple of weeks. Are properties in St Columb particularly slow to register?

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in St Columb registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timeframes can differ according to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry communicate with any third parties. At present in the region of three quarters of submission are fully addressed within 12 days but occasionally there can be extensive delays. Historically registration takes place after the purchaser has moved in to the premises therefore post completion formalities is not typically top priority but if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer should contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

My father has encouraged me to use his conveyancing solicitors in St Columb. Do I take his recommendation?

There are no two ways about it the ideal way to select a conveyancing practitioner is to seek referrals from friends or relatives who have experience in using the solicitor you're contemplating using.

Last January I purchased a leasehold house in St Columb. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Leasehold Conveyancing in St Columb - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

This information is useful as a) areas could cause problems in the building as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the running of the building you will wish to have full disclosure Most St Columb leasehold apartments will incur a service bill for maintenance of the building invoiced on behalf of the landlord. Should you purchase the property you will have to pay this contribution, normally quarterly accross the year. This could be anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. There will also be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a significant figure, say about £25-£75 but you need to enquire it because on occasion it could be surprisingly expensive.

I am thinking of choosing a web based property lawyer as opposed to a St Columb conveyancing firm. Should I ‘stay local’?

Numerous benefits exist in being able to pop in to a local St Columb conveyancing solicitor such as

• signing papers and and when necessary
• getting one on one explanations of things you don't understand
• the ability to raise concerns if matters are not going as expected

When comparing fees, look out for hidden extras. The majority decent St Columb high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Many online agents appear to offer discounted fees, but have burried 'extras' in the in the terms and conditions.