Just contacted my conveyancing solicitor in St Helens who completed the legal work 18 months ago requesting a conveyancing costs illustration based on an identical type of house sale & purchase (a leasehold property and a freehold premises) of almost identical values with a mortgage from Leeds Building Society. I am now being charged twice the amount. Should I look for a cheaper online property lawyer?

The quote is fractionally on the expensive side. If you you were to look around you could trim some of the cost by perhaps £100 plus VAT. On the other hand, if you were satisfied with the conveyancing the firm gave you mightlive to regret choosing an an unknown conveyancer. If is important to check the firm can act for Leeds Building Society. Do use our search tool to get a quote a St Helens conveyancing firm on the Leeds Building Society member panel, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in St Helens.

The sellers of the property we are looking to purchase have appointed a conveyancing solicitor in St Helens who has recommended a preliminary agreement with a non-refundable deposit 6,000. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

Exclusivity contracts are contracts between a property seller and purchaser giving the buyer a ‘clear field’ to purchase the property for a set period of time. Essentially, an exclusivity agreement is a contract specifying that you will receive a contract at a later time which is the main conveyancing contract. It tends to be utilised for buyer confidence though in many situations, the vendor may enjoy an upside from such agreements as well. There are various positives and negatives to using an agreement but you need to check with your lawyer but note that it may end up costing you more in conveyancing fees. In light of this these contracts are rare when it comes to conveyancing in St Helens.

As someone not used to the St Helens conveyancing process what’s the number one tip you can impart for the house moving process in St Helens

Not many law firms shout this from the rooftops but conveyancing in St Helens or throughout England and Wales is an adversarial experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists lots of opportunity for conflict between you and other parties involved in the transaction. E.g., the vendor, selling agent and even potentially a mortgage company. Appointing a solicitor for your conveyancing in St Helens is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONE person in the process whose role it is to act in your best interests and to protect you.

On occasion a potential adversary will attempt to persuade you that you should follow their advice. For instance, the estate agent may claim to be assisting by suggesting your solicitor is dragging his heels. Or your mortgage broker may advise you to do something that is against your lawyers guidance. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

As co-executor for the estate of my uncle I am disposing of a residence in Cardiff but I am based in St Helens. My conveyancer (based 200 kilometers awayhas requested that I sign a statutory declaration prior to the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in St Helens who can witness and place their company stamp on the document?

strictly speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are based in St Helens

There are plenty of properties in St Helens on private roads. My wife and I are buying one such property. Are there any benefits to purchasing a house on a private road?

St Helens conveyancing firms are used to transacting propertieson unadopted roads. The conveyancing practitioner will review the title to identify any rights or liabilities. In many cases there is a residents association that residents make annual contributions for the upkeep of the road. Where there is one, the road should be maintained and appear nicer than council owned.