A recent BBC Panorama undercover investigation has shone a spotlight on some disturbing dubious sales tactics being used by some estate agents. The investigation focused on the practice of conditional selling and of overvaluing properties to attract clients. Solicitor Demelza Dunstan from Penderlaw’s Property team explains these terms and outlines their implications on your purchase.…
No, you are not obligated to use the solicitor recommended by your mortgage provider says Samantha Bellamy from our Property team. Sam explores some of the matters you should consider when choosing a property solicitor. Freedom to choose While your mortgage provider may recommend a firm, you are free to choose your own solicitor. It’s…
With the average house price now at almost £380k, the dream of buying a first home feels ever more out of reach for Generation Z. As a result, many young people are understandably turning to their parents to help them out. If you are a parent considering helping your kids to buy a house, there…
History of Stamp Duty Stamp duty land tax was introduced in England in 1694 and is one of this country’s oldest taxes. Since then, it has been updated to reflect changing times and sometimes used as a tool to boost the property market at times of economic stress. When is Stamp Duty payable? Stamp Duty…
Whether you’re buying a house with lots of potential that you want to make the most of, or have decided against moving in favour of extending your existing home, there is a lot to consider when building an extension. Solicitor Demelza Dunstan highlights the legal pitfalls to avoid when extending your property. Building an extension…
We have seen a recent surge in enquiries from first time buyers, perhaps due to the recent cut in interest rates, the first drop in rates since March 2020 when the UK first entered lockdown. So, we thought some top tips for first time buyers would be useful. Samantha Bellamy, Chartered Legal Executive at Penderlaw…
Our friendly and knowledgeable team at Penderlaw Solicitors are at the heart of our firm, what we do and the service we provide. In the third of our Meet the Team series of blog posts we introduce Demelza Dunstan, a solicitor in our Property team. Demelza joined Penderlaw in September 2016, prior to which she had…
Chatting about interesting articles to put on our blog the other day, Demelza Dunstan, one of our Property Solicitors at Penderlaw remarked “If I had a pound for every time I was asked this question, I’d be a rich woman!” So, let’s explore the answer to the question of the moment – Do I need…
Going back to your Cornish roots? Over the years, we have found that a number of our property clients looking at buying a second home in Cornwall, actually originally come from Cornwall, or have family connections to the county. Often, they have moved away to study or to work and settled in other parts of…
Claire Gummow, Chartered Legal Executive at Penderlaw Solicitors, outlines the leasehold reforms due to be announced in this week’s King’s Speech. The government has confirmed that the forthcoming King’s Speech will contain a bill to phase out some types of leasehold. In a recent post on X, formerly known as twitter, housing minister, Rachel Mclean…
