If you had a top tip for selecting a conveyancing solicitor in St Ives what would it be?

Do not opt for the lowest St Ives conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. 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 know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.

I am purchasing a property in St Ives. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender TSB be concerned?

Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with TSB your lawyer must check the formal instructions set out in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for TSB. The CML Handbook includes minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to TSB where a lease does not comply with these specifications. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to St Ives.

Intending to buy a maisonette in St Ives. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the TSB conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the St Ives solicitor is on the TSB conveyancing panel.

I need some fast conveyancing in St Ives as I am under a deadline to exchange contracts inside one month. A home loan is not required. Is it possible to escape the need for conveyancing searches to save money and time?

As you are are a cash buyer you have the choice not to have searches carried out although no solicitor would advise that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in St Ives the following are examples of issues that can show up and therefore impact market value: Enforcement Notices, Outstanding Fees, Outstanding Grants, Unadopted Roads,...

I'm buying my first flat in St Ives with the aid of help to buy. The sellers would not budge the price so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The property agent advised me not disclose to my solicitor about the side-deal as it may put at risk my loan with Virgin Money. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Am I better off to choose a St Ives conveyancing lawyer who is local to the property I am buying? I have an old university friend who can carry out the legal work but they are based 300miles drive away.

The primary upside of using a high street St Ives conveyancing practice is that you can visit the firm to sign documents, present your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local St Ives know how is a benefit. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who instructed your friend and the majority were happy that must surpass using an unfamiliar St Ives conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being local.

I am employed by a reputable estate agent office in St Ives where we have witnessed a number of leasehold sales jeopardised as a result of short leases. I have received contradictory information from local St Ives conveyancing firms. Could you confirm whether the seller of a flat can initiate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

St Ives Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries before buying

Where a St Ives lease has no more than eighty years it will impact the marketability of the apartment. Check with your bank that they are content with remaining years on the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely need a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth finding out what this would cost. For most St Iveslease extensions you will be be obliged to have owned the premises for 24 months in order to be eligible to extend the lease. Is anyone aware of any major works in the planning that will increase the maintenance fees? Most St Ives leasehold properties will incur a service bill for maintenance of the block levied on behalf of the management company. Should you buy the flat you will have to meet this charge, normally periodically accross the year. This could be anything from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common grounds. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge for you to pay annual, this is usually not a significant sum, say about £50-£100 but you should to check as occasionally it can be prohibitively expensive.