Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Bearsted. Conveyancing is required. What happens now?

Given that you are now exchanged you now have to instruct a conveyancing practitioner soon as you are facing a fast approaching deadline in which to complete the conveyancing. All auction property will have a bespoke legal pack. This will likely include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. If you have purchased leasehold property the legal papers may include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork specific to leasehold premises. You must give this to the conveyancer working for you at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that you have funds in order to complete on the on the contractual date .

We had chosen solicitors with offices in Bearsted on the HSBC solicitor approved list. They are now charging me a supplemental sum for the legal aspects of the HSBC mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by HSBC?

Unfortunately, so long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your property lawyer may levy a fee for this. The fee is not set by HSBC but by your Bearsted solicitor. Plenty of firms on the HSBC panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Co-operative are being a right pain. The Bearsted solicitor who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Co-operative are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Co-operative have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Co-operative have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Co-operative may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I have recentlybeen informed that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Bearsted for a purchase of a leasehold flat 18 months ago. How can I check that my home is registered correctly in the name of the former proprietor?

The easiest way to check if the property is registered to you, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Bearsted conveyancing specialists.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Bearsted. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Bearsted

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

Is it simple use the search facility to choose a conveyancing solicitor in Bearsted on the authorised to act for my bank?

First choose a bank such as Halifax, Chelsea Building Society or Britannia then choose your preferred area e.g. Bearsted. Conveyancing firms in Bearsted and beyond will then be shown.

The financial adviser has suggested using their property lawyer for my conveyancing in Bearsted - Surely it’s easier to just use them?

This is not necessarily the case and you are entitled to use whichever conveyancing practitioner of your choosing for your Bearsted home move. A property lawyer recommended by a 3rd party adviser may not necessarily be the best property lawyer, they may put forward their own conveyancing firm who are based remotely. In this instance you may not have contact with your lawyer and due to the lack of continuity in the transaction, it may be difficult to obtain updates.