The Hastings conveyancing lawyers that I appointed last week on my house acquisition in Hastings have without warning shut down. I chose them because I had to have a firm on the Santander conveyancing panel and my family Hastings lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £195 for searches. What are my options?
Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Santander conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to help.
I purchased a 4 bedroom Victorian house in Hastings. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Nationwide Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Hastings and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also enquire as to the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.
The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build apartment in Hastings. Conveyancing is a frightening process 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 enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Hastings
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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. 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. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision.
I have been pointed in your direction by a few estate agents in Hastings to choose a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your services over and above a competitor’s?
We don’t give any referral fee for directing people to this site. We found it would be just too difficult a fee because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.
I am using a search engine for the term cheap conveyancing in Hastings it reveals numerous conveyancersin the area. How do I determine which is the right conveyancing solicitor for purchase transaction?
The ideal method of choosing the right conveyancer is through a trusted testimonial, so seek the counsel of friends and relatives who have bought a property in Hastings or the respected estate agent or mortgage broker. Charges for conveyancing in Hastings vary, so it's sensible to request at least four quotes from varying types of solicitors. Make sure that you know that the fees are fixed.