As someone with no idea as to the East Sussex conveyancing process what’s the number one tip you can give me for the ownership transfer in East Sussex
Not many law firms or advisers will tell you this but conveyancing in East Sussex and elsewhere in England and Wales is an adversarial experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists an abundance of room for confrontation between you and others involved in the home moving process. For instance, the vendor, estate agent and sometimes your mortgage company. Selecting a solicitor for your conveyancing in East Sussex an important selection as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE person in the transaction whose role it is to look after your best interests and to keep you safe.
Every so often a third party with a vested interest will try and convince you that you should follow their advice. For instance, the property agent may claim to be assisting by suggesting your lawyer is dragging his heels. Or your mortgage broker may tell you to do take action that is contrary to your lawyers guidance. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the conveyancing process.
We previously instructed solicitors located in East Sussex on the Nationwide solicitor panel. They are now charging me a further charge for handling the Nationwide mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Nationwide?
As unfair as it may appear, as long as it’s in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your conveyancer is entitled to charge a fee for this. The charge is not set by Nationwide but by your East Sussex solicitor. Some firms on the Nationwide panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.
We are getting the release of further monies on our mortgage from Virgin Money as we want to conduct alterations to our property in East Sussex. Are we obliged to choose a local East Sussex solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?
Virgin Money would not normally instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Virgin Money list.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Virgin Money. I assume I don't need a East Sussex conveyancer on the Virgin Money panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Virgin Money mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Virgin Money mortgage from the register. Virgin Money, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Virgin Money has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Virgin Money has instructed the Land Registry to do so
Should our conveyancer be asking questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in East Sussex.
Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers conducting conveyancing in East Sussex. There are those who buy a property in East Sussex, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.
Lawyers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that can be initiated by the purchaser or by their conveyancers which should give them a better understanding of the risks in East Sussex. The conventional set of property information forms sent to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual question of the owner to discover if the premises has ever been flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not revealed by the seller, then a buyer could bring a legal claim for losses as a result of such an misleading reply. The purchaser’s lawyers may also commission an enviro report. This should indicate if there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries will need to be made.
I am a sole trader looking to take an assignment of a lease of a shop on the high street. Can you recommend conveyancers offering no-sale-no charges for commercial conveyancing in East Sussex for below 1500k?
We are happy to recommend firms who have specialist knowledge of commercial conveyancing in East Sussex, including the disposal and acquisition of businesses as well as simply property. If you are intending to acquire or lease a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail unit or a whole business we can put you in touch with the right solicitor. As for the fees these will vary based on the structure and heads of terms of the proposed transaction. Let us have your details or call us so that we may furnish you with a fixed commercial conveyancing calculation.
I am using a search engine for the phrase cheap conveyancing in East Sussex it shows results of many property lawyersin the area. How do I determine which is the right conveyancer for me?
The best method of choosing the right conveyancer is through a trusted testimonial, so ask colleagues and family who have bought a property in East Sussex or the reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Costs for conveyancing in East Sussex vary, so it's a good idea to secure at least four estimates from varying types of companies. Make sure that you know what costs in the quote includes.
Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Seventy years left on my flat in East Sussex. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What options are available to me?
On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have used your best endeavours to find the freeholder. On the whole a specialist would be useful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing East Sussex.
East Sussex Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before buying
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How is the lease structured? In the main the cost for major works are not included within service charges, albeit that a few managing agents in East Sussex obliged leaseholders to pay into a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger works.