I am need of leasehold conveyancing for an apartment in a relatively new development (seven years built) in South Hylton. 95% of the appartments are already disposed of. Do I need carry out the conveyancing searches for my conveyancing in South Hylton?
You are taking a significant risk in not carrying out South Hylton conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying without a mortgage there is no legal necessity to have them, but we would strongly advise in the strongest possible terms that you have them. Where timings and cost are top of your issues you should discuss with your solicitor about the viability of search insurance
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in South Hylton. My lender is Platform
Platform have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 21/1/2025, the requirements read as follows :
Will our lawyer be raising questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in South Hylton.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers carrying out conveyancing in South Hylton. There are those who acquire a house in South Hylton, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.
Conveyancers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that can be initiated by the purchaser or by their lawyers which can figure out the risks in South Hylton. The conventional set of information given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual inquiry of the vendor to discover if the premises has suffered from flooding. If the premises has been flooded in past which is not notified by the vendor, then a buyer may bring a compensation claim stemming from an misleading reply. A purchaser’s solicitors will also order an enviro search. This should higlight whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be carried out.
I'm purchasing a new build house in South Hylton benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The estate agent advised me not inform my solicitor about the deal as it will put at risk my mortgage with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
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.
How do I use your search facility to choose a conveyancing practitioner in South Hylton on the panel for my mortgage?
Step one is to select a mortgage company such as Lloyds TSB Bank, The Mortgage Works or Aldermore then type in your preferred area a common one being South Hylton. Conveyancing firms in South Hylton and nationally should be listed.
I have recently had an offer accepted on a leasehold flat in South Hylton and the broker that we are dealing with recommended his solicitor. They quoted nine hundred pounds including VAT and 3rd party costs. Does this sound expensive?
You should not rely on a single estimate. You should obtain like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in South Hylton. Then select one that you trust and crucially, is on the approved list of the bank that you have applied for a mortgage from.