At what point will exchange of contracts take place for domestic conveyancing in Hemel Hempstead and am I required to be at the conveyancers office?

If you are in close proximity to our conveyancing solicitors in Hemel Hempstead you are welcome to come in to sign the paperwork. That being said, the law practices we recommend supply a national conveyancing service and provide as equally detailed and professional a job for you when dealing with you electronically. The signing of the sale agreement is not when everything is set in stone. Signing on the dotted line is just a prerequisite for the firm to officially exchange at the appropriate time, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where an extended "chain" is in the mix, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Hemel Hempstead)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

A relative advised me that if I am purchasing in Hemel Hempstead I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

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

I'm purchasing a new build house in Hemel Hempstead with a loan from Britannia. The builders refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not to tell my solicitor about this deal as it may affect my mortgage with Britannia. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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.

My step-father has encouraged me to instruct his conveyancers in Hemel Hempstead. Should I choose my own property lawyer?

Much as we are happy to recommend a Hemel Hempstead conveyancing lawyer the ideal way to select a conveyancing practitioner is to seek feedback from friends or relatives who have actually used the firm that you are are thinking of instructing.

I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Hemel Hempstead. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have recently received a yearly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice as usual given that all rents and service charges will be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I invested in buying a leasehold flat in Hemel Hempstead, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2003. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Hemel Hempstead with a long lease are worth £260,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease expires on 21st October 2099

With just 74 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues 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 placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.