My best friend’s brother is a solicitor. I expect that I can be offered friends and family fee for conveyancing, but if not, what level of figure should I be paying for conveyancing in East Sussex?
It’s sensible to look for 3 or more like-for-like conveyancing estimates. Make use of our search tool on this page. Whilst estimates will vary but service levels do are distinct between solicitors as is true with most professions.
Due to complete my purchase in East Sussex next Thursday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the bank. What does the insurance need to cover?
Any lawyer on acting for mortgage companies would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. These requirements are not specific to conveyancing in East Sussex.
I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in East Sussex yet charged rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in East Sussex and has limited impact for conveyancing in East Sussex but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.
Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.
Previous rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 is to be extinguished.
The East Sussex conveyancing lawyers that just started acting on my purchase in East Sussex have suddenly shut down. I chose them because I needed a firm on the UBS conveyancing panel and my family East Sussex lawyer was not. I paid them 275 plus VAT in advance. What do I do now?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know straight away so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the UBS conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to assist.
We are buying a property in East Sussex. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a solicitor? On the day of competition we have to send our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
I'm the single recipient of my late father’s estate and I have everything in my name alone, including the house in East Sussex. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in February. I now wish to sell up. I do know about the CML 6 month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the property in February. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?
The CML handbook mandates solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be affected by that. How practical a view banks take of it, depend on the lender as this requirement primarily exists to identify the purchase and immediately sell or the quick reselling of property.
I had a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. East Sussex conveyancing solicitors were selected. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Santander?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Santander conducted the survey? Have you advised Santander as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Santander conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
I have justbecome aware that Wolstenholmes have closed. They conducted my conveyancing in East Sussex for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 9 months ago. How can I establish that the property is registered correctly in the name of the former proprietor?
The quickest way to check if the property is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of East Sussex conveyancing specialists.