Finally the sale completed on my house in West Dean last September but our buyer keeps e-mailing every few hours complaining that their conveyancer is waiting to hear from mine. What should have happened following completion?

Following your house sale your solicitor should forward the transfer deeds and all supplemental paperwork to the purchaser's lawyers. Depending on the transaction, your conveyancer should also confirm that the mortgage has been discharged to the purchasers conveyancers. There are no post completion formalities unique to conveyancing in West Dean.

How does conveyancing in West Dean differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in West Dean approach us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is finished. This is because new home sellers in West Dean usually purchase the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in West Dean or who has acted in the same development.

I have been advised by a number of property agents in West Dean to find a property lawyer on your site. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to market your lawyers over alternative conveyancing organisations?

We refuse to make any referral fee for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

My husband and I are FTB’s - agreed a price, yet the selling agent told us that the seller will only go ahead if we instruct the agent's chosen lawyers as they want a ‘quick sale’. We would rather use a family solicitor with experience of conveyancing in West Dean

It is improbable the sellers are behind this. Should the vendor desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a motivated purchaser is going to damage their objectives. Speak to the owners direct and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to go, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you are going to instruct your own,trusted West Dean conveyancing firm - not the ones that will give their negotiator at the agency a introducer fee or meet his conveyancing targets demanded by senior management.

I own a leasehold house in West Dean. Conveyancing and HSBC Bank mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing practitioner in West Dean who previously acted has long since retired. Do I pay?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a West Dean conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

West Dean Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

This question is helpful as a) areas can result in problems in the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate where services are not paid for b) if the tenants have an issue with the managing agents you will want to know about it Best to be warned whether a new roof is being installed or some other major work is due in the foreseeable future to be shared amongst the leasehold owners and could well materially impact the level of the service charges or result in a one off invoice. What is the length of the lease?