When scouring online forums for a recommended lawyer in Isle Of Wight, most post that I must use a CQS accredited solicitor. Can you explain what CQS is?

Isle Of Wight Conveyancing Quality Scheme solicitors have obtained accreditation by the law Society The Law Society established CQS to establish evidence of quality standards in the home moving process. CQS helps home movers to recognise solicitor firms that provide a quality residential conveyancing. Isle Of Wight is one of locations in England and Wales in which CQS are based. The scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self-reporting, spot checks and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status. It is open only to members of the Law Society who meet the demanding standards set by the scheme and has the support of the Legal Ombudsman.

I am assisting my niece sell her flat in Isle Of Wight. Does the solicitor arrange an EPC or it is for the owner to see to?

After the demise of Home Information Packs, energy performance certificates remained a required element of moving house. An energy performance certificate should be to hand prior to the property being put on the market. It is not a task that lawyers normally organise. Where you are using a Isle Of Wight conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange energy assessments given their contacts with reputable Isle Of Wight assessors

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unseasoned as a 1st time purchaser of a ground floor flat in Isle Of Wight. Do I collect the keys to the house on the completion date from my solicitor? If so, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Isle Of Wight?

On the day of completion you do not need to go to the conveyancers office in Isle Of Wight. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the purchase money to the owner’s lawyers, and once they have received this, you will be able to pick up the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. Usually this occurs early afternoon.

We are purchasing a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Isle Of Wight. Our aim is to an extension at the rear at the property.Will legal conveyancing on the property include enquiries to determine if these works are allowed?

Your conveyancer will check the deeds as conveyancing in Isle Of Wight will occasionally reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit categories of works or require the consent of another owner. Many extensions need local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be wise to check these issues with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

I am looking into buying my first house which is in Isle Of Wight and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Isle Of Wight. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Isle Of Wight area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Isle Of Wight. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found

I am 14 days into a freehold purchase having been recommend to conveyancers by the estate agent to carry out the conveyancing in Isle Of Wight. We are not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new lawyers?

They would have to be really bad to suggest changing them. Has the mortgage been sent? In the event that it has you will need to make them aware of the new conveyancer and have the loan are re-sent. Your solicitor ideally should be on the lenders panel to avoid escalating charges and complications. So that should be your starting point. The search tool can assist you in finding a lender approved conveyancer for your home move in Isle Of Wight

Last July I purchased a leasehold property in Isle Of Wight. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Leasehold Conveyancing in Isle Of Wight - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

You will want to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the building as they will either make your life much simpler or problematic. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical issues such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Don't be afraid to ask other tenants what they think of them. Finally, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending the funds. The majority of Isle Of Wight leasehold apartments will be liable to pay a service bill for maintenance of the building levied on behalf of the landlord. If you buy the apartment you will have to meet this liability, usually in instalments throughout the year. This could vary from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. In all probability there will be a rentcharge for you to pay annual, ordinarily this is not a large amount, say about £50-£100 but you need to check it because on occasion it can be surprisingly expensive. How is the lease structured?