There are numerous conveyancing solicitors in Trowbridge but how do I know who's good?

We would encourage you not to go for the cheapest Trowbridge conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.

I have a mortgage with HSBC for my property in Trowbridge. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform HSBC?

HSBC must be informed of your intention before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of HSBC’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact HSBC directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a HSBC conveyancing panel firm.

I can not work out if my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Trowbridge building society branch on numerous occasions and was told it does not impact the mortgage offer and they will lend. My Trowbridge conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they refuse to lend in accordance with their published requirements. I have no idea who is right.

As long as the property lawyer is on the bank panel, they must adhere to the CML Handbook provisions for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

What will a local search inform me regarding the property I am purchasing in Trowbridge?

Trowbridge conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company for example PSG The local search plays an important part in many a Trowbridge conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any nasty once you have moved into your new home. The search should supply data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic headings.

I am purchasing a new build house in Trowbridge with a mortgage from Lloyds TSB Bank. The developers refused to move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative told me not reveal to my solicitor about this extras as it will put at risk my loan with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Trowbridge. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Trowbridge are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Trowbridge in which case you should be shopping around for a Trowbridge conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

I own a 2 bed flat in Trowbridge, conveyancing was carried out 3 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Trowbridge with an extended lease are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2077

With 52 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £29,500 and £34,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.

My conveyancers in Trowbridge have advised me that they can not locate my conveyancing file. To assist with my purchase I took out a mortgage with the bank. Is it case that being on the bank conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a number of years?

Different lenders have different requirements but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the mortgage company Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting the lender directly.