After reading mumsnet.com for a cheap lawyer in Bodmin, many post that I should look for a CQS assured lawyer. Can you explain what CQS is?
Bodmin Conveyancing Quality Scheme practices have obtained certification by the law Society CQS was created to establish evidence of quality standards in the home buying process. CQS enables home movers to identify solicitor firms that provide a quality residential conveyancing. Bodmin is one of the many areas in England and Wales in which CQS have a presence. The scheme requires solicitors to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self-certification, 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 Building Societies Association.
My wife and I are buying a flat in Bodmin. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? On completion day we have to send money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our money?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Kent Reliance. I assume I don't need a Bodmin property lawyer on the Kent Reliance panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Kent Reliance mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Kent Reliance mortgage from the register. Kent Reliance, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Kent Reliance has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Kent Reliance has instructed the Land Registry to do so
My offer on a property in Bodmin has been accepted, the vendors do however have a tied purchase. The sellers have placed an offer on a flat, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have instructed a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Bodmin. What do I do now? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with Nationwide?
It is normal to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Bodmin conveyancing search fees, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your conveyancer is on the Nationwide approved list. Concerning the next phase this very much dictated by the specifics of your transaction, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a rising market the majority of home buyers will apply for the mortgage with Nationwide and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their conveyancing practitioner to proceed with the conveyancing in Bodmin.
I am downsizing from our home in Bodmin and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was built land that was not decontaminated. A high street Bodmin lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers used an online conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Bodmin. Having lived in Bodmin for six years we know that this is a non issue. Do we contact our local Authority to seek confirmation need.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same illness)
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Bodmin?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Bodmin. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and identified one near me in Bodmin I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Bodmin suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?
If you require a mortgage that many years will likely be an issue. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.