My previous lawyer has given a fee estimate £1350 for fixed fee conveyancing in East Grinstead. I am selling a purpose built house for £275,000. Is this over the top? Is it above what I should be paying for conveyancing in East Grinstead?

The costs illustration is slightly on the high side. If you shop around you might shave off some of the cost by say £100 plus VAT. On the other hand, you mightlive to rue choosing an an untested solicitor. Remember to check that the conveyancer can also act for your bank. You can employ our search tool to get a quote a East Grinstead conveyancing firm on the banks approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in East Grinstead.

At what point can the exchange of contracts occur in purchase conveyancing in East Grinstead and do I need to be at the conveyancers office?

Where you are near to our conveyancing solicitors in East Grinstead you are welcome to attend to sign the paperwork. That being said, the firms we recommend offer a nationwide conveyancing service and provide just as detailed and professional a job for you when dealing with you electronically. The signing of the purchase agreement is not the point of no return. Signing on the dotted line is necessary for the solicitor to address the formalities at the appropriate time, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a lengthy "chain" is involved, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in East Grinstead)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

I have a decision in principle. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to instruct their panel lawyer as I would prefer to appoint a East Grinstead based conveyancing firm?

Do check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel lawyers if you accept the "fee-free" offer. Speak to the bank and explore if they make available a monetary alternative. In the past a few mortgage companies offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case that money can go towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor near East Grinstead.

I require expedited conveyancing in East Grinstead as I have pressure to complete within one month. Luckily I do not need a mortgage. Can I decline from having conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

As you are are a mortgage free buyer you are at liberty not to do searches although no conveyancer would suggest that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in East Grinstead the following are examples of what can show up and therefore impact future saleability: Refused Planning Applications, Outstanding Fees, Overdue Grants, Railway Schemes,...

I work for a busy estate agent office in East Grinstead where we have experienced a number of flat sales jeopardised as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given inconsistent advice from local East Grinstead conveyancing solicitors. Can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

East Grinstead Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

What is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the property? You should want to discover as much as possible regarding the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily matters such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Ask prospective neighbours whether they are happy with their management. On a final note, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the appropriate party and specifically what it includes. If a East Grinstead lease has less than 80 years it will affect the marketability of the apartment. Check with your lender that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would be be obliged to have owned the property for two years before you are eligible to exercise a lease extension.