Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Windsor is more expensive?

Windsor leasehold properties involve far more paperwork than a freehold purchase, and therefore takes more time to examine and advise upon.Conveyancing will involve the lease having to be checked which is usually a lengthy document, queries raised to ensure that the covenants and conditions have been observed. If it is a flat there will be a management company in existence and the accounts of this will need to be checked and enquiries raised to ensure it is operating efficiently and that all monies due have been paid by the Seller to the company and if not ensuring that money is paid up to date or the appropriate undertakings obtained.

We are purchasing a end of terrace house in Windsor. We would like to an extension at the rear at the property.Will legal work on the property include enquiries to determine if these alterations are prohibited?

Your property lawyer should check the deeds as conveyancing in Windsor will on occasion reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prevent categories of changes or require the consent of a 3rd party. Some works call for local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Some areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be prudent to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I recently had an offer agreed on a house in Windsor. My financial adviser suggested a conveyancing practitioner. I paid an upfront payment of £225. Soon after, the conveyancer contacted me to say that they were not on the Virgin Money 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 Virgin Money 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.

UBS have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a apartment in Windsor has been agreed to, now what?

The estate agent will wish to be advised as to your conveyancing practitioner's details (ensure that the conveyancing practitioners are on the bank’s approved list). Call up UBS or the financial adviser and finalise any relevant documentation. UBS will sellect a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or owners to book an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a fortnight to get a mortgage offer. UBS will send the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Windsor.

How does conveyancing in Windsor differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Windsor approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is ready to move into. This is because new home sellers in Windsor usually buy the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Windsor or who has acted in the same development.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, chain free conveyancing. Windsor is the location of the property. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in Windsor are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Windsor you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Windsor may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

To what extent are Windsor conveyancing solicitors under an obligation to the Law Society to issue clear conveyancing figures?

Contained within the Solicitors Code of Conduct are prescriptive rules and regulations as to how the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) allow solicitors to publicise their fees to clients.The Law Society have practice note giving advice on how to publicise transparent charges to avoid breaching any such rule. Practice notes are not legal advice issued by the Law Society and is not to be interpreted as the only standard of good practice a conveyancing solicitor should adhere to. The Practice Note does, nevertheless, constitute the Law Society’s view of acceptable practice for publicising conveyancing charges, and accordingly it’s a recommended read for any solicitor or conveyancer in Windsor or further afield.