We previously selected solicitors with offices in Totton on the UBS solicitor panel. They are now charging me a further fee for handling the UBS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by UBS?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your solicitor may levy a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by UBS but by your Totton lawyer. Plenty of firms on the UBS panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

I recently had an offer agreed on an apartment in Totton. My financial adviser suggested a lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £150. Shortly after, the solicitor called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Bank of Ireland 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 Bank of Ireland 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.

Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Totton solicitor - who is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Virgin Money will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Virgin Money will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Totton surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

I used Action Conveyancing several years past for my conveyancing in Totton. Now, I need my documents however the law firm has closed. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Totton of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

How does conveyancing in Totton differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Totton contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because new home sellers in Totton typically purchase 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 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 Totton or who has acted in the same development.

How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business property in Totton and how can your lawyers assist?

The particular law that you refer to affords a safeguard to commercial lessees, giving them the right to make a request to court for a renewal tenancy and remain in occupation when the lease reaches an end. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are involved. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing solicitors who use the act to your advantage and handle your commercial conveyancing in Totton

Last August I purchased a leasehold house in Totton. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Totton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

Is anyone aware of any major works anticipated that could add a premium to the maintenance charges? On the whole the cost for major works tend not to be built into the maintenance charges, albeit that a few managing agents in Totton require leaseholders to contribute towards a reserve fund created for the specific purpose of building a fund for major works. Does the lease have onerous restrictions?