When researching consumer advice sites for a conveyancing lawyer in Torquay, most advise that I should use a CQS assured lawyer. What is CQS?

Torquay Conveyancing Quality Scheme solicitors have obtained certification under the Law Society's Scheme (CQS) The Law Society established CQS to establish evidence of quality standards in the in the legal transfer of properties. CQS enables house movers to recognise practices who provide a quality residential conveyancing. Torquay is one of locations in England and Wales in which CQS are based. The conveyancing 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 Association of British Insurers.

There are numerous conveyancing solicitors in Torquay but how do I know who's good?

We would encourage you not to go for the cheapest Torquay conveyancing quote. You really do get what you’re paying 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 ahead of time.

The mortgage over my property is with Nationwide for my property in Torquay. Conveyancing has been completed some time ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Nationwide?

You must advise Nationwide in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Nationwide’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Nationwide directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Nationwide conveyancing panel firm.

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Torquay. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their property lawyer. I paid an upfront payment of £175. A couple of days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Leeds Building Society panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

How do I use your search tool to find a conveyancing solicitor in Torquay on the panel for my bank?

First choose a bank such as Halifax, Virgin Money or Alliance & Leicester then specify your preferred area a common one being Torquay. Conveyancing practices in Torquay and beyond should be listed.

In scouring the web for the phrase cheap conveyancing in Torquay it reveals many solicitorslocally. How do I determine which is the suitable property lawyer for the sale of my house?

The ideal way of choosing a suitable conveyancer is through a trusted recommendation, so ask colleagues and those you trust who have purchased a property in Torquay or the reputable estate agent or mortgage broker. Charges for conveyancing in Torquay differ, so it's sensible to request at least three quotes from varying types of conveyancers. Dont forget to clarify what costs in the quote includes.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £250,000 garden flat in Torquay in just under a week. The managing agents has quoted £384 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Torquay?

Torquay conveyancing on leasehold flats more often than not involves the buyer’s lawyer sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They may charge a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it exceeds £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

Torquay Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask before buying

How is the lease structured? Where a Torquay lease has no more than eighty years it will affect the salability of the apartment. Check with your lender that they are happy with the length of the lease. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely require a lease extension at some point and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. For most Torquaylease extensions you would need to own the residence for two years before you are eligible to extend the lease. How much is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the flat?