It is is a decade since I purchased my house in Sheffield. Conveyancing lawyers have just been appointed on the sale but I can't track down the title deeds. Will this cause complications?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be retained by your mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who handled your purchase. Secondly in most cases the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Sheffield relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it is more tricky but is resolvable.
Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a online directory to to identify practices on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society conveyancing panel for instance in Sheffield?
We have not been informed any intention on the part of the BSA to develop such a tool.
My partner and I are intent on selling our property in Sheffield and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. A local lawyer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the purchasers used a web based conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Sheffield. Having lived in Sheffield for many years we know that this is a non issue. Do we contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation that there is no issue.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer already. What do they say? You should enquire of 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 health insurance to cover that same sickness)
four months have elapsed following my purchase conveyancing in Sheffield completed. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £170,000. Why the discrepancy?
The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.
Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Sheffield ahead of instructing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the house. Our surveyor advised that some mortgage companies tend not give a mortgage on a flying freehold home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different requirements from Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can investigate further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Sheffield. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.