I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Harleston. My lender is Virgin
Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 11/2/2026, the requirements read as follows :
I know that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Do I require this when acquiring a residence in Harleston? or I am told that there is an ancient law that could mean that owners of property residing in a parish church boundary may be liable to contribute towards maintenance towards the chancel within the church. Is this applicable for conveyancing in Harleston?
Unless a previous acquisition of the premises completed post 12 October 2013 you can assume that solicitors conducting conveyancing in Harleston to continue to advocate a chancel search and or chancel repair liability insurance.
I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Harleston. Now, I need my documents but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Harleston of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
How does conveyancing in Harleston differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Harleston contact us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because house builders in Harleston typically acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Harleston or who has acted in the same development.
Given that I will soon spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on a terraced house in Harleston I would like to talk to a lawyer regarding thehome move before giving the go ahead to the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?
This is something that we recommend - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the lawyer due to be doing your conveyancing in Harleston.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important person, not a matter reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are provided with for residential conveyancing in Harleston should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.
Last August I purchased a leasehold property in Harleston. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?
In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
Leasehold Conveyancing in Harleston - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing
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What is the annual service fee and ground rent? Is there a share of the freehold? Most Harleston leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service charge for the upkeep of the building levied by the landlord. Where you acquire the apartment you will have to meet this contribution, usually in instalments throughout the year. This may vary from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, normally this is not a large amount, say approximately £25-£75 but you should to check as on occasion it could be many hundreds of pounds.