Having been recommended your service we were about to go ahead with a conveyancing solicitor in Barrowden listed by you but stumbled across alternative fee calculations via the web seem less expensive – how come?

There are plenty of solicitors advertising alleged cut-price conveyancing, yet more often than not additionalfees result in the final fee being inflated. According to the Legal Ombudsman fees set out in terms of business should be honest and reasonable invoiced The solicitors that we list for conveyancing in Barrowden specify all legal fees for the property you intend topurchase.

I purchased a freehold premises in Barrowden but still invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Barrowden and has limited impact for conveyancing in Barrowden but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 is to be extinguished.

What happens if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the HSBC Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Barrowden?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

Is it the case that all Barrowden solicitors on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel are regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Yorkshire BS approved list of solicitors they would need to be overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Some mortgage companies do list licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the organisation would be regulated by the CLC.

I'm at the point of viewing apartments in Barrowden and I am about to put in an offer. Is it advisable to have my solicitor on ‘stand by’? I am planning to take a home loan with Skipton.

It would be wise to instigate your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the selling agent. Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Skipton, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Skipton conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Barrowden. I have a mortgage agreed with Santander. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Santander, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Santander conveyancing panel.

My friend suggested that if I am purchasing in Barrowden I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

This is a search is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Barrowden conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Barrowden around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Barrowden.