I have just been advised by my estate agent that my Torpoint solicitor is not on the lender Conveyancing panel. How can I be sure whether this is correct?

The best course of action for you to take is to call your Torpoint lawyer directly. You lawyer should advise you of the situation. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your lender.

Will lawyers request an advanced payment for conveyancing in Torpoint?

If you are buying a property in Torpoint your solicitor will request that you put them with funds to cover the search fees. This will be the total of the cost of the Local Authority Search. When the deposit is payable against the purchase price then this should be required shortly ahead of contracts are exchanged. The closing balance that is due should be sent to your lawyer a couple of days prior to the completion date.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Torpoint?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Torpoint. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

We're first time buyers - had an offer accepted, but the property agent has warned us that the owners will only proceed if we use the agent's recommended conveyancers as they want a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a high street conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Torpoint

It is unlikely the vendors are driving this. If they desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a motivated buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Bypass the agents and go straight to the owners and make sure they comprehend that (a)you are genuine buyers (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you do not need to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you intend to instruct your preferred Torpoint conveyancing solicitors - as opposed tothe ones that will earn the estate agent a kickback or achieve conveyancing targets demanded by HQ.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Torpoint with the purpose of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Torpoint can be reduced if you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should verify this via your solicitors. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to where the remaining number of years is under 75 years. It is therefore essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. Some Torpoint leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Torpoint state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. Where you dont have the approvals to hand you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in the first instance.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Torpoint - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

It would be sensible to discover as much as possible regarding the company managing the block as they can either make life much simpler or problematic. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. You should not be afraid to ask other tenants what they think of their management. On a final note, find out the dates that the service charges are due to the relevant party and precisely what it includes. How is the lease structured? Make sure you investigate if the the lease includes any unreasonable restrictions in the lease. For instance some leases prohibit pets being allowed in certain buildings in Torpoint. If you love the propertyin Torpoint yet your dog can’t make the move with you then you will be faced difficult compromise.