I am buying a house mortgage free in Hollywood. I have resided for the last dozen years in Hollywood. Conveyancing searches are expensive. As I know the road and vicinity intimately must I have all the conveyancing searches?
Provided that you do not need a mortgage, then almost all of the Hollywood conveyancing searches are non-obligatory. Your conveyancer will ’encourage you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but he has a professional duty to do this. One thing to bear in mind; if you are likely to sell the house at a future date, it will be of importance to your future purchaser what the searches reveal. Sometimes premises with functional issues can still reveal adverse search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Hollywood should be able to give you some constructive advice concerning this.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Hollywood. My lender is Accord Mortgages
Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 16/2/2026, the requirements read as follows :
My aunt advised me that in purchasing a property in Hollywood there could be a number of restrictions preventing external alterations to a property. Is this right?
There are anumerous of properties in Hollywood which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Hollywood should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in November 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, RBS are being pedantic. The Hollywood solicitor who is on the RBS conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but RBS are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do RBS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that RBS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why RBS 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.
Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Hollywood solicitor - who is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Kent Reliance will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Kent Reliance will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your property lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Hollywood postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Kent Reliance, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Hollywood.
I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our home in Hollywood and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. Any local conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers instructed a factory type conveyancing outfit rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Hollywood. We have lived in Hollywood for six years we know that this is a non issue. Is it a good idea to get in touch with our local Authority to get confirmation that the buyers are looking for.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)
Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Hollywood ahead of appointing lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold element to the house. Our surveyor advised that some lenders tend refuse to give a loan on such a property.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different requirements from Nationwide. If you contact us we can look into this further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Hollywood. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Hollywood especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Hollywood.