I have given 2 months notice to my existing landlord and have to leave my let out flat in Didsbury by 29/7/2024. Conveyancing for my house purchase is underway. Can I complete in 5 weeks as don't want to have to move into temporary accommodation?

Generally one should not serve notice on a rental unless exchange of contracts has taken place. If you have not previously done so, contact to your conveyancer and request that they chase the other solicitors, try to a target completion date that everyone will look towards

When can the exchange of contracts take place for purchase conveyancing in Didsbury and am I required to be at the lawyers branch?

If you are local to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Didsbury you are welcome to attend to sign documents. That being said, the law practices we work with provide a national conveyancing service and provide just as detailed and professional a job for you when dealing with you by post or email. The executing of the property agreement is not the point of no return. A signed contract simply enables the conveyancer to exchange contracts at the suitable time, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is is usually a five minute process, although where a lengthy "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Didsbury)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

There is lots of here regarding conveyancing in Didsbury but can you isolate your top tip for choosing the right conveyancer in Didsbury

It would be unwise to be seduced by the cheapest Didsbury conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. 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 go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

We previously chose conveyancers located in Didsbury on the RBS solicitor panel. They are now charging me an additional fee for the legal aspects of the RBS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by RBS?

Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your conveyancer can levy a fee for this. This fee is not dictated by RBS but by your Didsbury property lawyer. Plenty of firms on the RBS panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee but some practices include it on their overall fee.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Didsbury off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Virgin Money. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Virgin Money, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

I was recommended by a few selling agents in Didsbury to choose a solicitor on your site. What’s the financial incentive for Estate Agents to recommend your site over another?

We don’t offer any referral fee for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

Can I determine who owns a property in Didsbury?

Assuming that the property is registered with HM Land Registry, and you have sufficient specifics of the location of the premises, you should be able to see details from the HMLR of the recorded proprietor for a a minimal charge.