Why do I have to pay up front for conveyancing in Lewes?

If you are buying a property in Lewes your solicitor will request that you put them with funds to cover the search fees. Ordinarily this is requested to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. If any deposit is payable against the purchase price then this should be asked for shortly before exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is needed will be payable a few days prior to the day of completion.

My house in Lewes is up for sale and I have accepted an offer. Does my property lawyer need to be required to be on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their panel criteria fairly frequently currently.

Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal impending roadworks that could affect a commercial premises in Lewes?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Lewes will conduct a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers expend in sourcing accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Lewes. The report provides definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Lewes.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Lewes it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately can cause delays to Lewes commercial conveyancing deals as well as present a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not carried out for domestic conveyancing in Lewes.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Lewes?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Lewes. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Lewes conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Lewes conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you talk with two or three firms including non Lewes conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:

How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation? Can they put you in touch with clients in Lewes who can give a testimonial?

Lewes Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

You will want to find out as much as you can about the company managing the block as they will either make living at the property much simpler or a lot more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical matters like the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of other people what they think of their management. In conclusion, be sure you know the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the appropriate party and precisely what it includes. Does the lease include onerous restrictions? If a Lewes lease has less than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the salability of the property. Check with your mortgage company that they are happy with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will probably need a lease extension at some point and you need to have some idea of what this will be. For most Leweslease extensions you would need to own the premises for a couple of years in order to be eligible to carry out a lease extension.