Right to buy do I need a solicitor?

Lord_Baltimore

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

Again OP I would advise DIY conveyancing....

You mean you'd advise against DIY conveyancing surely?

Errata

They WILL let us buy it without a solicitor

Then you should be very worried.

upferret

No sinking fund, no clause allowing the charges to increase for the first five years...For the first five years theyve basically included everything that possibly could be charged and they arent allowed to charge more than those figures, even if the actual cost is more. After 5 years they can charge whatever, for whatever repairs/work necessary but a solicitor isnt going to change that and they cant charges for what they havent done/a price that is not a reasonable prioce for doing so. everything has recently been redone, new roof, plastic pvc cladding, double glazing,heating,wiring, new kitchen and bathroom. We know what we are responsible for and what they are responsible for. We have looked through the details we aren't stupid and we cant see anything a solicitor would be needed for? I can do the charges search for about £6 I can do the land registery change. Its not a high rise flat, its only first floor. why would you waste a grand paying for something something you can do yourself? Im not having a go BTW, Im just asking! as everything people have said, I have either checked myself or I can do myself.
Thanks for the help.

fablanta

I've been doing extensive research on this myself recently (while I wait for my offer).

No you don't need a solicitor for yourself but if you have taken out a mortgage your lender will use one (and a surveyor too for the valuation) and you will have to foot the bill for any work they do, if it’s just a personal loan then you can be solicitor free

If anyone else in your block has bought their flat then all the worrisome stuff will already have been checked out. There is no chance that the council will be trying to swindle you so there is nothing a solicitor can do for you that can make it any safer. You will do a more thorough job of reading the documents than the solicitor (or more likely his clerk) would do. You will have a better idea of what the local area is like. You will have a vested interest in keeping costs down. You can cut weeks off the process.

AFAIK the only tricky bits involve the Land Registry. First you have to get your bankruptcy document from them then, after the flat is yours, you will have to register the property with them (as it will probably be unregistered) within 30 days and get it put in your name. If it is over £125K you will also have to pay stamp duty.

Most of the stuff I see here are just horror stories meant to scare you and make you toe the line and so preserve the juicy cash cow that conveyancing is to the medium to large size solicitor's firm.

Try and get hold of a copy of a book called, The Conveyancing Fraud by Michael Joseph. It creaks with age (1st Ed. 1976) but the basic explanation as to why you don’t always need a solicitor is still sound.