Do I choose a Licenced Conveyancer or Solicitor for conveyancing in Manningtree?

There are two types of lawyers who can perform conveyancing in Manningtree namely licenced conveyancers or solicitors. The two can administer conveyancing services that required to complete the disposal or acquisition of property. Both are duty bound to carry out Manningtree conveyancing on similar quality and guidelines so you may be safe in the knowledge that your conveyancing will be properly administered and that the necessary procedures will be correctly taken.

This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Manningtree. Do I collect the keys to the property on completion from my conveyancer? If so, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in Manningtree?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the completion advance to the vendor’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be called to pick up the keys from the property Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.

Is it the case that all Manningtree CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Santander conveyancing panel?

It is true that some banks and building societies now make use of the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

What does a local search reveal concerning the property we're buying in Manningtree?

Manningtree conveyancing often starts with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company for instance PSG The local search plays an important role in most Manningtree conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any unpleasant surprises after you move into your property. The search will reveal data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject headings.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Manningtree with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The property agent told me not reveal to my lawyer about this extras as it will adversely affect my mortgage with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

I am looking for a flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Manningtree I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 61 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Manningtree in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

Why do Manningtree conveyancing charges differ for leasehold and freehold properties?

If buying a leasehold property there is more work involved purely due to the fact that usually there are further parties involved in the form of the freeholder and/or Management Agents. As part of a lawyers enquiries they will check that all ground rent and service charges are paid up to date amongst other general leasehold matters. For this reason, the Sellers lawyers usually have to refer to the freeholder or Managing Agent for their replies to our questions. This may be time consuming and beyond the lawyers control