The property market in Burgess Hill is heating up. What can I do to accelerate the buying process?

Where the seller is applying time constraints for your conveyancing we would recommend that your lawyer is familiar with the area as they will make use of local contacts and knowledge. It is even conceivable that they could have handled otherhouses in the same neighbourhood. Therefore consider using a Burgess Hill conveyancing lawyer. Second, be sure that the lawyer is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is believed that 18% of Burgess Hill conveyancing transactions are frustrated or jeopardised after discovering a buyer’s solicitor was not on their mortgage lender’s panel. In many cases this discovery resulted in the conveyancing being delayed by as much as 21 days. It is believed that this issue affects approximately one hundred thousand home sales every year. Many Burgess Hill conveyancing firms can not act for certain banks so do check as early as possible.

As someone unfamiliar with the Burgess Hill conveyancing process what is the number one tip you can give me concerning the ownership transfer in Burgess Hill

Not many law firms shout this from the rooftops but conveyancing in Burgess Hill or throughout West Sussex is often a confrontational process. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there is plenty of room for conflict between you and other parties involved in the home moving process. E.g., the vendor, selling agent and even potentially a bank. Selecting a lawyer for your conveyancing in Burgess Hill should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE party in the legal process whose role it is to protect your best interests and to keep you safe.

Every so often a third party with a vested interest will attempt to sway you that it is in your interests to do things their way. For instance, the selling agent may claim to be helping by claiming that your solicitor is dragging his heels. Or your mortgage broker may tell you to do something that is against your lawyers recommendation. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the home moving process.

I have paid off my mortgage with RBS. I assume I don't need a Burgess Hill conveyancing practitioner on the RBS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your RBS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the RBS mortgage from the register. RBS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where RBS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. RBS has instructed the Land Registry to do so

Intending to buy a maisonette in Burgess Hill. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Burgess Hill lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel.

I had an offer accepted on a house in Burgess Hill on 24/10/2025, valuation was booked 2 days after, all came back fine. Property lawyer appointed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Santander and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Santander conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Santander to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Santander conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

I have been told that property searches are a common reason for delay in Burgess Hill house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the top 10 causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Searches are unlikely to feature in any delay in conveyancing in Burgess Hill.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Burgess Hill I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, however it only has 51 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Burgess Hill suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be problematic. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.