At what point does exchange of contracts take place for residential conveyancing in Beckenham and do I need to be at the conveyancers branch?

If you are near to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Beckenham you are invited in to sign contracts. That being said, the law practices we work with supply a countrywide conveyancing service and provide just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when communicating with you electronically. The executing of the contract is not the critical part. A signed contract is necessary for the solicitor to exchange contracts at the appropriate time, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is is usually a five minute process, although where a long "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Beckenham)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

Please help - my lawyer advises that lack of building regulations insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Beckenham?

The right level of lack of building regulations indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Nationwide Building Society and Leeds Building Society. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.

I'm the single beneficiary of my late mum's will and I have everything in my name now, including the house in Beckenham. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in October. I plan to dispose of the house. I understand that there is a Mortgage Lenders 6 month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship could be considered the same way as if I'd bought the property in October. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?

The CML handbook requires solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be impacted by that. Some mortgage companies would take a sensible view as this obligation is chiefly there to pick up on subsales or the wholesaling and assigning of properties.

Is it correct that all Beckenham CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the UBS conveyancing list of approved practices?

Some major lenders now make use of the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to remain on their approved list of firms.

My colleague suggested that if I am purchasing in Beckenham I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is usually quoted for as part of the standard Beckenham conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing significant information about Beckenham around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Beckenham Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Beckenham Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Beckenham.

four months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in Beckenham completed. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £215,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build flat in Beckenham. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Beckenham

Please supply a car parking plan. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company?