Conveyancing Questions & Answers
1. How long will the Conveyancing process take?
Once you instruct your Conveyancer you should aim to complete within 12 weeks.
2. What do I need to budget for?
Selling - You need to pay for estate agent’s fees and Conveyancer legal fees.
Buying - You need to pay for legal fees and disbursements. You will also need a Survey on the property you are buying and your mortgage lender will need a valuation carried out.
Your Conveyancer details payments that they will need to make to complete your property transaction. Stamp duty, Searches, ID checks, Land registry fees etc
3. When should I instruct my solicitor?
Selling - Instruct your Conveyancer when you advertise your property
Buying - Have a Conveyancer in mind when you place your offer for your new property
4. When do I legally own the property?
When contracts are exchanged a legally binding agreement arises between the buyer and the seller and neither party can back out. After exchange you set a completion date. A date when you can move into your new property or alternativley when your tenants can move in.
5. What are the pitfalls on striking a great deal?
When its a great deal for you the seller may take a higher offer from another buyer. This is called gazumping and can happen before exchange. It maybe worth considering taking out abortive insurance as this covers many situations when through no fault of your own the transaction fails.
6. What are Searches?
The risks associated with buying a property can be evaluated by carrying out specific searches that relate to the property postcode. Your Conveyancer relies on these searches to advise in detail if the property value could be affected if the search results have negative information.
7. The builder wants a fast exchange. Is this possible?
New developments often have pre-package legal work and this saves time. You can sometimes agree a conditional exchange. Your Conveyancer will explain what can be achieved and by when.
8. Why do I need to have a survey?
The survey is your opportunity to see what needs to be done to bring the property up to a building standard as specified by RICS. Treat the survey as a car MOT. If you have a survey done then you will be presented with a building improvement to do list. This will provide data for you to reconsider your offer to the seller.
9. When must I insure the property?
Most lenders stipulate that you must have insurance in place on exchange of contracts. Many comparison sites offer an easy search facility for you to get a great deal for your buildings and contents insurance. It pays to compare.
10. I am working away for the next 6 months. Can I let the property?
Buying with a mortgage - Get the consent of the lender before letting your property. Is the property leasehold? - Check the terms of the lease to make sure that letting is permitted.
We all use questions to make informed decisions. Please write down your own questions and either email or arrange a call back from your chosen Conveyancer.