How to Prevent Delays in the Conveyancing Process
Many delays are caused by problems further along the property chain and this is often out of your hands, but there are things you can do to make sure your end of things runs smoothly.
Instruct your solicitor as soon as your house is listed for sale
As soon as you put your property on the market or you receive an offer, tell your estate agent who your property solicitor is so they can get in touch. It’s essential to hire a conveyancing firm as early as possible during the process as this will ensure that any delays can be avoided.
Get a management pack
This applies to leasehold properties as the solicitor will also have to have a copy of the ‘memorandum and articles of association’ in order to understand the accounts of the management company over the past three years. If you are looking to buy a leasehold property, tell your solicitor immediately as it will allow them to obtain the necessary documents from the outset.
Check the planning permission
Conveyancers must ensure that all planning permissions and building regulations are obtained when acting on behalf of a lender. If, on the rare occasion, are no lenders involved in the transaction there is still a duty to ensure that any works carried out on the property prior to the sale have been carried out have adhered to the relevant regulations. If this is checked early on it will prevent repercussions later on.
Don’t delay in signing or return legal documents
In order to avoid delays, it’s essential that when purchasing or selling a property, all legal documentation and paperwork is signed and delivered on time.
Be aware of longer mortgage affordability interviews
From spring 2014, new regulations were enforced in order to avoid lenders offering loans to those who are unable to afford the repayments. Because of these changes there are longer and tougher mortgage affordability tests, which have been implemented by lenders. When applying for your mortgage, allow plenty of time for both the interview itself and the final decision as a ‘yes’ is no longer guaranteed.
Allow time for local authority searches
The local authority will run searches on the property and its land in order to determine a number of factors, such as who owns or is responsible for the road or sewers in the surrounding area, and whether there are any road-widening proposals in place or proposed works on the land surrounding the property.
The conveyancing process can be time consuming and confusing, but we hope that these tips for avoiding any unnecessary delays will assist you in a smooth and problem free property sale or purchase.