Last September we completed a house move in St Helier. We have noticed several issues with the house which we believe were omitted in the conveyancing searches. What action can we take? Can you clarify the nature of searches that should have been carried out for conveyancing in St Helier?
The question is vague as what problems have arisen and if they are unique to conveyancing in St Helier. Conveyancing searches and investigations undertaken during the legal transfer of property are supposed to help avoid problems. As part of the process, the vendor completes a questionnaire known as a Seller’s Property Information Form. If the information proves to be inaccurate, you could possibly take legal action against the seller for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in St Helier.
Why do I have to pay up front for my conveyancing in St Helier?
Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in St Helier your solicitor will request that you to provide them with monies to cover the search fees. Ordinarily this is called for to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. When the down payment is as part of the purchase price then this will be needed immediately in advance of contracts are exchanged. Any further balance that is due should be sent to your lawyer a couple of days ahead of the completion date.
I can see plenty of here about conveyancing in St Helier but can you isolate your top tip for choosing the right conveyancer in St Helier
Do not opt for the lowest St Helier conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.
I had a mortgage agreed in principle with Lloyds. St Helier conveyancing solicitors are chosen. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Lloyds?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Lloyds conducted the valuation? Have you informed Lloyds as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Lloyds conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
My offer was accepted on a property in St Helier on 17/9/2025, valuation was booked 3 days later, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer retained, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Nottingham and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Nottingham to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
Should commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that may impact a commercial property in St Helier?
Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in St Helier will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers invest in sourcing accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in St Helier. The report provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in St Helier.
For every commercial conveyancing transaction in St Helier it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately can cause delays to St Helier commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not carried out for residential conveyancing in St Helier.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in St Helier?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in St Helier. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in St Helier in advance of appointing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. Our surveyor advised that some banks may not give a mortgage on a flying freehold premises.
It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in St Helier. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.