What is the most effective way to find the right solicitor who will provide a quality service for my conveyancing in Higham Ferrers?

First ask relatives whom they would seek assistance from.

Second, use a comparison service on the web for conveyancing in Higham Ferrers. Pick up the phone to a couple or more firms from the list and invite them to send you their conveyancing fees and discuss your needs with the solicitor who will oversee the conveyancing in advance ofcommitting.

Third is to make use of our search tool to help you find the right solicitors for you based on your individual factors including location,deadlines, complexity and who the proposed lender is. Resist the temptation to appoint ninety nine pound conveyancing in Higham Ferrers

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Higham Ferrers? Why is this being asked of me?

You are right in these requests have nothing to do with conveyancing in Higham Ferrers. Nowadays you will not be able to complete any conveyancing process in the absence providing evidence of your identity. Ordinarily this takes the form of a either your passport or driving licence and a council tax bill. Please note that if you are providing your driving licence as proof of identification it needs to be both the paper part and photo card part, one is not acceptable without the other.

Evidence of your source of money is mandated under Money Laundering Regulations. Don’t be offended when you are asked to produce this as your conveyancing solicitor must retain this information on record. Your Higham Ferrers conveyancing lawyer will require evidence of proof of funds prior to accepting any monies from you into their client account and they should also ask further queries regarding the origin of funds.

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Higham Ferrers. My lender is Nationwide Building Society

Nationwide Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 22/1/2025, the requirements read as follows :

I'm buying my first flat in Higham Ferrers with a loan from Skipton Building Society. The builders refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent suggested that I not inform my lawyer about this deal as it may adversely affect my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

We own a leasehold flat in Higham Ferrers. Conveyancing was finalised in last year. I have read on numerous advice forums that I mustn’t let the lease length fall too low. Why is that a problem?

Higham Ferrers leasehold properties are for a fixed period - normally just under one hundred years when they started. However many appartments in Higham Ferrers were built or converted in the 60’s and so such leases now have less than 80 years unexpired. That may sound like plenty of time however Banks, Building Societies and other mortgage lenders on the whole need leases to have a minimum of 75 years unexpired to be mortgageable. This means that when you come to sell the property you will need to extend the term of your lease if you are nearing 75 years. To enhance the saleability of your property you should be thinking about whether or not to extend your lease long before you come to sell it. Furthermore advantages to taking action before the lease reaches even eighty years as when the lease falls below 80 years the amount to be paid to extend starts to increase.