We are about to exchange contracts for a leasehold flat in Woodcote Green. We have hit a stumbling block. The mortgage offer with Coventry Building Society runs out on 23/3/2026 but the sellers are putting forward a completion date of 25/3/2026. Can one extend the mortgage expiry date?
The person best placed to deal with your concern is your lawyer who should assess whether they should be discussing with the mortgage broker, owner’s lawyers, property agents or conceivably all parties taking into account the history of your conveyancing as of today.
My aunt passed away last year and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Woodcote Green. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £4500. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to HSBC, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?
Where you plan to re-mortgage then HSBC will insist on your using a conveyancer on the HSBC conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your HSBC conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the HSBC mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
There are numerous conveyancing solicitors in Woodcote Green but how do I know who's good?
Do not opt for the cheapest Woodcote Green conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.
My husband and I are in the throws of viewing houses in Woodcote Green and I am about to put in an offer. Is it wise to have my lawyer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a mortgage with Principality.
You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the EA. Given that you are taking out a mortgage with Principality, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Principality conveyancing panel.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a Woodcote Green property lawyer having made sure that they are on the TSB conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
TSB will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually TSB 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. Your conveyancing practitioner will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Woodcote Green postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with TSB, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Woodcote Green.
My colleague recommended that if I am purchasing in Woodcote Green I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Woodcote Green conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Woodcote Green around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Woodcote Green.
How does conveyancing in Woodcote Green differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Woodcote Green approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because house builders in Woodcote Green typically purchase 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Woodcote Green or who has acted in the same development.