We were about to retain a conveyancing solicitor in Saltdean recommended using your comparison tool but have come across some other estimates via the web look less expensive – why is this?

You can find numerous conveyancers offering theoretically looks to be very low prices. We would encourage you to think twice about how important this transaction is to you that you are willing to be penny wise pound foolish in relation to the standard of the legal work. Some hide fees deep into the terms of business. The solicitors that we list for conveyancing in Saltdean will notbehave this way.

My conveyancer has informed me that chancel insurance is required on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Saltdean conveyancing?

The right level of chancel indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between Nationwide Building Society and The Mortgage Works. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to borrowers take out such insurances.

My partner and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from Nationwide as we wish to conduct improvements to our property in Saltdean. Are we obliged to choose a bricks and mortar Saltdean solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

Nationwide do not ordinarily require firms on their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Nationwide list.

It is unclear whether my lender obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Saltdean building society branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they will lend. My Saltdean conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called and was told they refuse to lend based on their published requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the conveyancer is on the bank panel, she or he must adhere to the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook conditions for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

My relative suggested that if I am purchasing in Saltdean I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Saltdean conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Saltdean 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 Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Saltdean.

The deeds to my home are lost. The lawyers who did the conveyancing in Saltdean 10 years ago no longer exist. Will I be able to sell the house?

Assuming you have a registered title the details of your proprietorship will be documented by the Land Registry under a Title Number. It is possible to perform a search at the Land Registry, locate your house and secure current copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. If the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will usually retain a file copy of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be obtained for a small fee.

I'm buying my first flat in Saltdean with a mortgage from Bank of Scotland. The sellers refused to move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep advised me not reveal to my conveyancer about the side-deal as it would put at risk my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.