I instructed a local solicitor for our conveyancing in Billericay yesterday. Upon checking the small print I notewe are responsible for costs even if the sale doesn't happen. Should I ditch them and use a web based lawyer promising no move no charge conveyancing in Billericay?

It is usually a trade off in that if "No Sale No Fee" is advertised then the conveyancing charges will generally be uplifted to counteract the transactions that fail to complete. Please beware that these schemes generally do not cover expenditure for instance Billericay conveyancing search expenses.

Me and my partner are buying a house in Billericay. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we will need to send money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

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.

If you had a top tip for selecting a conveyancing solicitor in Billericay what would it be?

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the lowest Billericay conveyancing quote. 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 ahead of the deal.

I have a mortgage with HSBC for my property in Billericay. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform HSBC?

HSBC must be informed of your intention prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of HSBC’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact HSBC directly. You need not do this via a HSBC conveyancing panel solicitor.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Billericay is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Billericay are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Billericay you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Billericay may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Billericay. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee 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. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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).

I acquired a leasehold flat in Billericay, conveyancing having been completed 6 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Billericay with a long lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2095

With only 71 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

My wife and I today discovered that one of the directors of the firm undertaking the purchase conveyancing in Billericay is an uncle of the seller. Is this acceptable?

Provided no conflict arises this is permitted. Where you are requiring a mortgage then the lender may have a say as many banks have specific requirements on this. For example for Nationwide Building Society as of 28/4/2024, the requirements read as follows :