I was referred a conveyancer who has quoted £1350 for freehold conveyancing in Winchmore Hill. I’m hoping to sell a Georgian property for £200,000. Are the quoted fees excessive? Is it above what I should be paying for conveyancing in Winchmore Hill?

The costs illustration is fractionally on the steep side. Where you are happy to expend time comparing quotes you could decrease the fees slightly by say £100 plus VAT. That being said, you couldcome to rue opting for an an unknown conveyancer. Remember to ensure that the solicitor can act for your lender. You can make use of our comparison tool to choose a Winchmore Hill conveyancing company on the lender’s conveyancing panel which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Winchmore Hill.

It is unclear whether my lender obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Winchmore Hill bank branch on a couple of occasions and was reassured it wasn't a problem and they will lend. My Winchmore Hill conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they will not lend in accordance with their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. I simply don't know who is right.

Your has to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook section two provisions for your lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank 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 mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Winchmore Hill. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an upfront payment of £200. A couple of days later, the contacted me to say that they were not on the conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

At last I have had an offer on a maisonette in Winchmore Hill agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have offered on a flat, however it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other apartments booked. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Winchmore Hill. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with started?

It is normal to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then valuation, Winchmore Hill conveyancing search fees, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your is on the approved list. As to the subsequent phase this very much depends on the uniqueness of your transaction, attraction to this property and on the state of the market. In a rising market some home buyers would apply for a home loan with and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they ask their to move forward with searches.

I'm buying a new build house in Winchmore Hill with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not reduce the price so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not reveal to my conveyancer about this deal as it may impact my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.

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've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Winchmore Hill is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Winchmore Hill are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Winchmore Hill you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Winchmore Hill may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

I own a leasehold flat in Winchmore Hill. Conveyancing and mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing solicitor in Winchmore Hill who acted for me is not around. Do I pay?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Winchmore Hill conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Winchmore Hill Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying

Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability? Please tell me if there are any major works anticipated that could add a premium to the service fees? The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the lessees benefit from control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is usually retained where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent employed by the leaseholders.