Having been recommended your web site we were about to appoint conveyancing solicitor in Polegate listed by you but have come across alternative costs illustrations via the web seem less pricey – why is this?

There are a variety of solicitors offering at first sight what seems to be very low prices. Our advice is to give due consideration about how much you respect your own move to you are willing to take 'cheap' risks concerning the standard of the conveyancing. Some embed fees well inside the terms of business. The conveyancers that we list for conveyancing in Polegate will notbehave this way.

My wife and I are due to complete buying a house in Polegate but as a consequence of wreckage from the recent storms I have was able negotiate reparation from the owner of £3k in the form of a deduction in the price. This was going to be addressed as part of a side agreement however Lloyds are not allowing this. Should they have been notified?

The conveyancer that is on a Lloyds approved list is duty bound to inform Lloyds of any amendments to the purchase price. If you prohibit your conveyancer to report the reduction to Lloyds then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Lloyds and you would have to appoint a new lawyer for your conveyancing in Polegate.

I purchased a freehold property in Polegate yet charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Polegate and has limited impact for conveyancing in Polegate but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges date back many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of fresh rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 will be extinguished.

There are plenty of conveyancing solicitors in Polegate but how do I know who's good?

It would be unwise to be tempted by the lowest Polegate conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

I currently have a mortgage with HSBC for my property in Polegate. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform HSBC?

HSBC must be informed of your intention in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of HSBC’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact HSBC directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a HSBC conveyancing panel firm.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in May 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, Santander are being a right pain. The Polegate solicitor who is on the Santander conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Santander are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Santander have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Santander have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Santander 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.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £225,000 flat in Polegate in nine days. The managing agents has quoted £372 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Polegate?

Polegate conveyancing on leasehold flats more often than not requires the buyer’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They may charge a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge demanded by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that you have no choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Polegate - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

It is important to be aware whether window replacement or some other significant cost is pending to be shared between the tenants and will dramatically increase the the maintenance costs or require a one time payment. It would be wise to discover if the the lease contains any unreasonable restrictions in the lease. By way of example some leases prohibit pets being permitted in certain buildings in Polegate. If you love the apartmentin Polegate but your cat can’t make the move with you then you will be presented with a hard compromise. The best form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the tenants benefit from being in charge if their destiny and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves.