I am helping my sister sell her property in Hackenthorpe. Does the conveyancer commission the EPC or should I organise this?

After the demise of Home Packs, energy assessments was maintained a required part of selling a property. An energy performance certificate must be commissioned before the property is put on the market. This is not a task that lawyers normally arrange. If you are instructing a Hackenthorpe conveyancing solicitor they might help arrange energy performance certificates given their contacts with long established Hackenthorpe providers

We were going to get a OIP from Kent Reliance this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Kent Reliance recommend any Hackenthorpe solicitors on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Hackenthorpe solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Kent Reliance through the process.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Hackenthorpe. I have a mortgage agreed with Kent Reliance. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Kent Reliance, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Hackenthorpe is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can give?

Flying freeholds in Hackenthorpe are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Hackenthorpe you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Hackenthorpe may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I was advised by a few estate agents in Hackenthorpe to find a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to offer your lawyers over a competitor’s?

We don’t offer any financial incentive for directing people in our direction. We found it would be just too difficult a fee because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

I own a leasehold flat in Hackenthorpe. Conveyancing and Virgin Money mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in Hackenthorpe who acted for me is not around. Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Hackenthorpe conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

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

Where a Hackenthorpe lease has no more than 80 years it will affect the marketability of the flat. It is worth checking with your bank that they are happy with remaining years on the lease. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will almost definitely require a lease extension at some point and you need to have some idea of how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you would be be obliged to have been the owner of the property for 24 months before you are entitled to carry out a lease extension. The prefered form of lease structure is where the freehold reversion is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this situation the lessees have control and although a managing agent is usually retained where the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. It would be prudent to find out as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will either make your living at the property much easier or problematic. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask prospective neighbours what they think of them. Finally, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the appropriate party and specifically what you get for your money.

Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the bank conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the mortgage company approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?

Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the lender conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the bank solicitor panel.