It is 10 years ago since I purchased my home in East Barming. Conveyancing lawyers have just been retained on the sale but I am unable to locate the deeds. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be with your lender or they could be archived with the solicitor who oversaw the purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in East Barming relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is not registered it is more of a problem but is not insurmountable.

I have been told that property searches are the number one reason for hinderance in East Barming house deals. Is that correct?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the common causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Searches are unlikely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in East Barming.

I used Wolstenholmes several years ago for my conveyancing in East Barming. I now require my file however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in East Barming of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

How does conveyancing in East Barming differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in East Barming approach us having been asked by the developer to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because new home sellers in East Barming typically buy the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in East Barming or who has acted in the same development.

Why is it not possible to complete our conveyancing in East Barming on a bank holiday?

This is due to the fact that on completion the money will be transferred electronically between the banks of the buyer and owner’s conveyancer and currently this can only take place on a working day. So you can't complete on a weekend either.