I am purchasing a property for cash in Weymouth. I have been residing for the previous dozen years in Weymouth. Conveyancing searches are a lot of money. As I have knowledge of the area and road very well must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a home loan, then the vast majority of the Weymouth conveyancing searches are non-obligatory. Your conveyancer will 'advise', perhaps strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but she is duty bound to take that path of guidance. Do consider; if you are likely to dispose of the house at a future date, it will likely be be of relevance to your future purchaser what the searches disclose. Sometimes premises with apparent issues can still throw up detrimental search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Weymouth should provide you some sensible advice in this regard.

I purchased a freehold premises in Weymouth but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Weymouth and has limited impact for conveyancing in Weymouth 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 have existed for hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

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

I am looking for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and found one round the corner in Weymouth I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, however it's only got 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Weymouth in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

Should you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be problematic. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

Given that I am about to spend over three hundred thousand on a terraced house in Weymouth I would like to have a conversation with the lawyer about myconveyancing ahead of appointing the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we encourage - we would be delighted to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the solicitor who will be doing your property ownership legalities in Weymouth.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a matter reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for your conveyancing in Weymouth should be the amount on the final invoice that you end up paying.

My husband and I are FTB’s - had an offer accepted, but the agent informed us that the owners will only move forward if we appoint their chosen lawyers as they want a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family solicitor used to conveyancing in Weymouth

We suspect that the seller is unaware of this demand. If they want ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Speak to the owners direct and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you do not need to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you will continue to use your own,trusted Weymouth conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give their negotiator at the agency a referral fee or hit his conveyancing figures pre-set by senior management.