My partner and I are buying our first property. Our conveyancing practitioner has texted usto see if we would like to order supplemental conveyancing searches. Unfortunately we are clueless as to what's necessary for conveyancing in Southwick

The range of Southwick conveyancing searches should be triggered based entirely on the premises, the location, the possibility of any of these risks, your knowledge of the area and risks, your overall appetite to risk. What is important is that you properly appreciate what information each search could give you. Then you can decide if you consider that you need that search. If in doubt, ask your lawyer to explain.

We are selling our flat in Southwick. Does my property lawyer need to be required to be on the Barclays conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Barclays conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their panel criteria fairly frequently at the moment.

I am helping my step-mother sell her property in Southwick. Will the conveyancer arrange an energy assessment or should I organise this?

After the demise of HIPs, energy assessments became a compulsory element of moving house. An energy performance certificate should be to hand before the property is marketed. It is not a task that lawyers ordinarily organise. If you are using a Southwick conveyancing lawyer they might help arrange energy assessments due to their relationships with reputable local providers

I am due to move home in April. Should my conveyancing solicitor update the removal company on the completion day. As an aside, can you recommend a removal company in Southwick. Conveyancing firm was organised before I stumbled across this page.

On the day of completion you will need to collect the house keys from the property agent however this can only happen when the vendors lawyers confirm to the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be passed over. After that you should inform the removal company that they can start moving you in. As a matter of policy we do not recommend a specific removal company but can help you locate a residential property solicitor in Southwick or a lawyer that specialises in conveyancing in Southwick.

I am buying a property in Southwick. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Leeds Building Society be concerned?

Given that your lender is Leeds Building Society your lawyer must follow the conveyancing requirements contained in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Leeds Building Society. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook sets out minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Leeds Building Society where a lease does not meet these conditions. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not isolated to Southwick.

It has been three months following my purchase conveyancing in Southwick concluded. I have checked the Land Registry site which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £160,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Southwick. Conveyancing and Norwich and Peterborough Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing solicitor in Southwick who previously acted has now retired. Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Southwick conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Southwick Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

If a Southwick lease has no more than eighty years it will impact the salability of the property. It is worth checking with your lender that they are willing to go ahead with the loan given the lease term. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely require a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would be required to have owned the property for 24 months in order to be legally able to exercise a lease extension. Is anyone aware of any major works in the near future that will increase the maintenance fees?