I am buying a property without a mortgage in Hartfield. I have resided for the previous 15 years in Hartfield. Conveyancing searches are a lot of money. As I have knowledge of the road and vicinity very well should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?
Provided that you do not need a mortgage, then all but one or two of the Hartfield conveyancing searches are at your discretion. Your lawyer will try and sway you, no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but he has a professional duty to take that path of guidance. One thing to take into account; if you are intend to sell the house in the future, it could be of relevance to your prospective purchaser what the searches determine. Sometimes properties with apparent issues can still reveal detrimental search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Hartfield should be able to give you some practical advice here.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Hartfield. My lender is Accord Mortgages
Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 25/6/2025, the requirements read as follows :
I am assisting my mother sell her flat in Hartfield. Does the conveyancing solicitor commission an energy assessment or should I organise this?
Following the demise of Home Packs, energy assessments was retained a compulsory part of selling a house. An energy performance certificate should be to hand in advance of the property being placed on the market. It is not something that solicitors normally organise. Where you are instructing a Hartfield conveyancing practitioner they may help arrange energy performance certificates given their relationships with reputable local accredited person
We were going to get a OIP from Leeds Building Society this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Leeds Building Society recommend any Hartfield solicitors on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Hartfield solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Leeds Building Society through the process.
Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Hartfield. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How do I make a complaint?
All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.
I purchased my flat on 3 January and my personal details is yet to be on the land registry website. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in Hartfield said it will be dealt with in less than a month. Are transfers in Hartfield particularly slow to register?
There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Hartfield registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can vary subject to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry have to notify any 3rd persons or bodies. At present approximately three quarters of such applications are completed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be protracted hold-ups. Historically registration takes place once the buyer has moved in to the premises thus 'speed' is not typically top priority but where there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your solicitor could speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.
I am buying my first flat in Hartfield benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not to tell my lawyer about the extras as it may adversely affect my loan with the lender. 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.
I have recently realised that I have Seventy years left on my lease in Hartfield. I now wish to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. 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 for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to find the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent should be helpful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Hartfield.
I inherited a split level flat in Hartfield, conveyancing was carried out 9 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar flats in Hartfield with over 90 years remaining are worth £206,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2091
With only 66 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £11,400 and £13,200 as well as costs.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.