owned by you/rented/occupied also id checks and fixed price fee.

hdh74

One of the questions on the forms our solicitor sent has owned by you/rented/occupied - and you cross out what doesn't apply - does it mean occupied by us or others?
There is a separate section which asks about occupiers and their relationship to us so I'm thinking it means other people? Honestly these forms are a nightmare and trying to get a few straightforward questions answered by the solicitor's secretary was like pulling teeth. 

Is it normal for a solicitor to add on extra fees for proof of ID (£18 each if done online - but we're still waiting for the link to the app or £50 in the office) when they gave us a fixed price fee?

canaldumidi

Some context would help! But I assume you are selling your property? What form are you referring to?

If you are selling, then cross out "rented/occupied"

'Occupiers' means any other adult other than the registered owners/sellers, who occupy/live in the property eg your lodger, your auntie Deidre, whoever.

Depends what the extra fees are for!

If for something that was included in the fixed price quote - no.

If for something that was not included in the fixed price quote but which now needs to be added - yes.

As you don't say what the extra fee is for, and as I can't read your fixed fee contract from here, I cannot answer!

hdh74

Sorry. We are both buying and selling, but the form was for the property we are bying.
The extra fees is for the proof of ID. Sorry didn't realise I hadn't said that. They can use an app - which we are still waiting for the link for £18 each or we can go in £50.

canaldumidi

Any decent conveyancer would include your ID check as a standard part of the conveyancing quote. But as I said, I can't read your quote!

Did you choose the cheapest online warehouse you could find? They often exclude xyz so their quote looks attractive, but in the T&Cs they have various add-ons. Like this.

user1977

hdh74 said:

We are both buying and selling, but the form was for the property we are bying.

Assuming you're buying with a mortgage, they need to know whether there is anybody (other than the borrowers) moving in with you - because adult occupiers would need to consent to the mortgage. Is there somebody else in your household?

hdh74

canaldumidi said:

Any decent conveyancer would include your ID check as a standard part of the conveyancing quote. But as I said, I can't read your quote!

Did you choose the cheapest online warehouse you could find? They often exclude xyz so their quote looks attractive, but in the T&Cs they have various add-ons. Like this.

No, we asked locally for recommendations, picked a local firm, and went with the highest rating on google reviews.
It's been a shock to find them difficult so far. I rang this afternoon to clarify several things - because the material they sent us contains contradictory information, and was told 'we're in the middle of changing systems' and from there on in it was excruciatingly hard work getting what I thought were straightforward questions answered. I can only assume it's this system change that is the problem.

They wrote separate contracts for the sale and purchase and have appointed one solicitor but 2 secretaries to deal with those:

sale:

We have agreed a fixed fee of £550.00 plus VAT £110.00 for this work and as long as

everything progresses as expected our charges will not exceed this fee.

In addition to our charges, we expect that you will have to incur several other expenses

(commonly referred to as disbursements):

▪ E.g. Office Copy Entries- £18.00 (inc. VAT)

▪ ID Verification Online (per person) £12.00 (inc VAT) - the secretary told us £18 today and £50 if we go in "because people ask so many questions and it takes ages."

▪ TT Fee to Redeem Mortgage - £36.00 (inc. VAT) (per mortgage*)

Purchase:

We have agreed a fixed quote for this work and as long as everything progresses as expected

our charges will not exceed this fee.

The following fees/disbursements are included in our standard price for this type of work:

Professional Charges: £ 595.00

VAT: £ 119.00

Bank Transfer Administration Fee: £ 36.00

Search Pack: £ 210.00

Land Registration Fee: £ 150.00 (Assuming title is registered)

Total: £1,110.00 (inc. VAT)

plus stamp duty £2,300

We also reserve the right to charge additional fees for checking additional identity

documents and source of funds/wealth from third parties i.e. Donors of any

gifts/shareholders. Please contact us in this regard for further clarification before we

proceed with your transaction.

• An Environmental search can be ordered for an additional £42.00 when ordering the

Mining Search, if required. Please see additional information below.

• If you have a Help to Buy ISA or Lifetime ISA there will be a charge of £50 plus VAT.

• Mortgage Offers received via LMS or Lender Exchange will also incur an additional

administration charge of £25.00 plus VAT.

In addition to the above, there will be additional charges payable for Leasehold properties

i.e serving Notices upon the Freeholder and Leasehold Management Company (if

applicable). These vary for each organisation, but can be anything from £200 to £500. The

Ground Rent and Service Charge will also be payable in advance.

I guess the ID thing is in the paragraph above, but I thought it meant with regards to third parties.

There are several places where they contradict themselves in the letters and forms they have sent eg price for an extra search quotes at £18 in once place and £23 in another.
They ask us to take documents in then somewhere else ask us to do them online. The secretary said, "oh the standard letters might need some tweaking now." 

Argh.

user1977

That says £12 for ID rather than £18?

hdh74

user1977 said:

hdh74 said:

We are both buying and selling, but the form was for the property we are bying.

Assuming you're buying with a mortgage, they need to know whether there is anybody (other than the borrowers) moving in with you - because adult occupiers would need to consent to the mortgage. Is there somebody else in your household?

No mortgage, which we told them. Just me and hubby.

user1977

hdh74 said:

user1977 said:

hdh74 said:

We are both buying and selling, but the form was for the property we are bying.

Assuming you're buying with a mortgage, they need to know whether there is anybody (other than the borrowers) moving in with you - because adult occupiers would need to consent to the mortgage. Is there somebody else in your household?

No mortgage, which we told them. Just me and hubby.

Probably just a standard form then, as most do buy with a mortgage. But if there's nobody else to tell them about, not sure what's difficult about completing the form?

hdh74

user1977 said:

hdh74 said:

user1977 said:

hdh74 said:

We are both buying and selling, but the form was for the property we are bying.

Assuming you're buying with a mortgage, they need to know whether there is anybody (other than the borrowers) moving in with you - because adult occupiers would need to consent to the mortgage. Is there somebody else in your household?

No mortgage, which we told them. Just me and hubby.

Probably just a standard form then, as most do buy with a mortgage. But if there's nobody else to tell them about, not sure what's difficult about completing the form?

Just wasn't clear about the question regarding occupiers - whether it meant us as owner-occupiers or otherwise. The poster above you has already clarified that thank you.

hdh74

user1977 said:

That says £12 for ID rather than £18?

Yeah. As I mentioned above, they have given us different information in different places. The secretary told us £18 on the phone today - though I wasn't actually querying the price but was trying to clarify which things they wanted doing online and which in person as they sent contradictory info on that as well. As I said above, they are changing systems and it seems to have sent things haywire.