I am helping my step-mother sell her property in Gloucester. Will the solicitor order the energy assessment or should I organise this?

After the demise of Home Information Packs, energy assessments was kept a compulsory element of moving property. An energy assessment needs to be commissioned before the property is marketed. It is not something that solicitors ordinarily organise. Where you are instructing a Gloucester conveyancing solicitor they may help arrange EPC’s due to their relationships with reputable local providers

Can you point me to a directory of Santander panel solicitors in Gloucester on the Building Society Association’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings open the public over the internet. Where you are seeking to appoint a Gloucester conveyancer on the Santander please make the most of our facility.

I have a mortgage with Barclays for my property in Gloucester. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. Should I wish to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Barclays?

Barclays must be informed of your intention prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Barclays’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let 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 Barclays directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Barclays conveyancing panel firm.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my property are lost. The solicitors who dealt with the conveyancing in Gloucester 4 years ago are no longer around. What are my options?

Gone are the days when you need to have the physical original deeds to prove you are the owner of your registered land or property, given that the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.

How does conveyancing in Gloucester differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Gloucester come to us having been asked by the builder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is ready to move into. This is because new home sellers in Gloucester typically buy the site, 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 property lawyers 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 Gloucester or who has acted in the same development.

Am I right to be concerned that brokers that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use an internet conveyancing firm rather than a local Gloucester conveyancing practice?

As is the case with many service providers, often recommendations from family and friends can be worth their weight in gold. Nevertheless there are lots of players in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and mortgage companies might all put forward solicitors to retain. On occasion the solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but occasionally there is an underlying financial incentive behind the recommendation. You have the right to appoint your preferred lawyer. Don't forget that most mortgage providers specify a panel list of conveyancers you have to use for the lender related work in your conveyancing.

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Gloucester conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Gloucester conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non Gloucester conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be useful:

Can they put you in touch with clients in Gloucester who can give a testimonial? How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

Leasehold Conveyancing in Gloucester - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

This question is important as a) areas may result in problems for the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate where maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will wish to have all the details You will want to discover as much as possible concerning the company managing the building as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily issues such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Don't be shy to ask other tenants if they are happy with their service. In conclusion, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the relevant party and precisely how they are spending that money. Does the lease have onerous restrictions?