We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to use their panel solicitor as I would much rather appoint a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Woodley?

You should check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel conveyancers if you take up the "fee-free" offer. Contact the mortgage company to determine if they allow a cash alternative. Some mortgage companies have previously offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case that money can go towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor near Woodley.

I am assisting my niece sell her house in Woodley. Does the conveyancer arrange an energy assessment or should I organise this?

After the demise of HIPs, EPC’s was retained a compulsory element of moving house. An EPC must be to hand before the property is put on the market. This is not something that law firms normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Woodley conveyancing solicitor they might be able to arrange EPC’s given their contacts with long established Woodley assessors

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Yorkshire BS are being pedantic. The Woodley solicitor who is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Yorkshire BS are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Yorkshire BS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Yorkshire BS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Yorkshire BS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Our offer on a property in Woodley has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have placed an offer on a flat, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have chosen a high street conveyancing solicitor in Woodley. What do I do now? When should I get the mortgage application with Aldermore going?

It is understandable to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses prematurely (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey, Woodley conveyancing search fees, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your lawyer is on the Aldermore approved list. As to the subsequent steps this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a hot market many purchasers will apply for the mortgage with Aldermore and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their conveyancing practitioner to press on with the conveyancing in Woodley.

How does conveyancing in Woodley differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Woodley approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is built. This is because new home sellers in Woodley usually acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Woodley or who has acted in the same development.

I decided to have a survey carried out on a property in Woodley before appointing solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. Our surveyor advised that some mortgage companies may not issue a mortgage on this type of property.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different requirements for example to Nationwide. Should you wish to call us we can check via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Woodley. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Woodley especially if they are accustomed to such properties in Woodley.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £225,000 flat in Woodley next Wednesday. The managing agents has quoted £312 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Woodley?

Woodley conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually involves the buyer’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries most will be content to do so. They may charge a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality you have little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Woodley - Sample of Queries Prior to Purchasing

How much is the annual maintenance fee and ground rent? The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the lessees enjoy control and even though a managing agent is frequently employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. What is the name of the managing agents?