I had intended to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Portslade for our house purchase. Our financial adviser informed us that our bank TSB won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unfair competition?

Banks on the whole restrict either the type or the number of conveyancing firms on their approved list of lawyers. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a law practice must not be a sole practitioner. As well as restricting the profile of firm, some have decided to limit the number of solicitor practices they allow to represent them. You should note that TSB have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of TSB Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the reduction of solicitor panels a few years ago even though there remains mixed views concerning the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that plenty of law firms, including some in or near Portslade only conduct a couple conveyances a year.

I am helping my mother sell her property in Portslade. Does the solicitor order the EPC or do I organise this?

Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, energy assessments remained a required element of selling a house. An energy assessment must be commissioned prior to the property being placed on the market. It is not a task that law firms normally arrange. If you are using a Portslade conveyancing lawyer they might be able to arrange EPC’s given their relationships with reputable local assessors

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as a 1st time purchaser of a ground floor flat in Portslade. Do I pick up the keys to the house on completion from my conveyancer? If so, I will find a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Portslade?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will transfer the purchase money to the seller's lawyers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be called to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.

The mortgage over my property is with Barclays for my property in Portslade. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. Should I wish to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Barclays?

Your original mortgage agreement with Barclays will provide that you need their approval before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Barclays’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Barclays will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Barclays directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Barclays conveyancing panel firm.

I require expedited conveyancing in Portslade as I am faced with pressure to exchange contracts within one month. Fortunately I do not require a mortgage. Is it possible to avoid the conveyancing searches to save money and time?

As you are are a mortgage free buyer you are at liberty not to have searches carried out although no solicitor would recommend that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in Portslade the following are instances of what can appear and therefore affect the marketability of the property: Refused Planning Applications, Overdue Charges, Outstanding Grants, Unadopted Roads,...

Just had an offer accepted on a new build flat in Portslade. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Portslade

Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

My partner has encouraged me to use his conveyancers in Portslade. Should I choose my own solicitor?

There are no two ways about it the ideal way to find a conveyancing practitioner is to seek guidance from friends or family who have actually experience in using the conveyancer that you are considering.