The sellers of the house we are looking to purchase have instructed a conveyancing practitioner in Woodlands who has recommended a lock out agreement with a payment 6,000. Are such agreements sensible?

This form of preliminary agreement isn't frequently used in Woodlands, conveyancers will often try and steer clients away from them as they detract from focusing on the main conveyancing focus and if you end up having your deposit forfeited then the solicitor is left exposed. In addition, there is no assurance that just because the proprietor has executed an exclusivity agreement they will sell to you. They may be tempted to break the agreement if they receive a large enough financial inducement to do so because an aggrieved claimant with the benefit of a lockoutcontract will still have to establish consequential losses from the breach and these may not compare to the financial benefit that your vendor may secure by breaching the contract, however morally shameful that may be.

Our bank has recommended solicitors on their panel based in Woodlands but I would rather instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Woodlands or nearer to where I live. Can you assist?

Far from all Woodlands conveyancing solicitors are on all lender’s conveyancing panel. Use the above search tool to choose a Woodlands conveyancing solicitor on the on the bank panel.

We are due to move home in January. Should my conveyancing solicitor call the removal company on the day of completion. As an aside, can you put forward a removal company in Woodlands. Conveyancing lawyer was chosen prior to coming across your page.

On the day of completion you will need to collect the house keys from your property agent however this should only occur after the previous owners conveyancers confirm to the agent that the monies to complete are in and the keys can be passed over. Subsequently you will need to advise the removal men that you are ready to move in. We are not in a position to suggest a specific removal organisation but can assist you in finding a conveyancing in Woodlands or a legal practice with expertise in conveyancing in Woodlands.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Woodlands. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.

UBS have agreed my home loan in principle, my bid on a flat in Woodlands has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

Your estate agent will wish to know who your solicitors are (make sure the conveyancing practitioners are on the lender’s panel). Contact UBS or your broker and finish off any appropriate documentation. UBS will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or owners to arrange a slot for the valuation to occur. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes on average a fortnight to receive the mortgage offer. UBS will issue the offer to you and your solicitors. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Woodlands.

I am looking for a ground for flat up to £305k and found one close by in Woodlands I like with open areas and transport links in the vicinity, however it only has 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in Woodlands in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease may be problematic. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.

We expect to complete our sale of a £350,000 apartment in Woodlands next Monday. The managing agents has quoted £324 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Woodlands?

Woodlands conveyancing on leasehold flats normally necessitates the buyer’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer these enquiries most will be willing to do so. They may invoice a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is above £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality you have no choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

I have had difficulty in trying to purchase the freehold in Woodlands. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?

in cases where there is a missing freeholder or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the LVT to make a decision on the premium.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Woodlands flat is Ground Floor Flat 91 Bath Road in May 2009. in a case where the freeholder could not be traced, the Brentford County Court ordered that the Lease be surrendered in return for the grant of a new lease of the Premises at a premium determined by the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. The tribunal concluded that the price payable by the Applicant for the new lease of the premises be £15,900 This case related to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 60.45 years.