I have an AIP. The bank mentioned the loan came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to instruct their panel solicitor as I would prefer to use a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Portslade?

You should check but the chances are that allocate you one of their panel solicitors where you want the "fee-free" deal. Call the mortgage company and ask if they make available a monetary alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case you could put that amount towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor in Portslade.

Is it correct that all Portslade CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the conveyancing panel?

A selection of banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their panels.

I can not work out if my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Portslade bank branch on various occasions and was told it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Portslade conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they refuse to lend in accordance with their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?

As long as the is on the mortgage company panel, they must comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook requirements for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a flat in Portslade has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (make sure the are on the bank’s panel). Contact or the broker and finalise any outstanding paperwork. will appoint a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes about a week for the mortgage offer to be issued. will send the offer to you and your . The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Portslade.

Will my lawyer be raising questions regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Portslade.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors specialising in conveyancing in Portslade. There are those who acquire a property in Portslade, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Solicitors are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, but there are a number of checks that can be undertaken by the buyer or by their conveyancers which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Portslade. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms supplied to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual inquiry of the vendor to determine whether the property has historically flooded. If the residence has been flooded in past and is not notified by the vendor, then a buyer may issue a claim for damages as a result of such an inaccurate answer. The buyer’s lawyers may also conduct an environmental report. This will reveal whether there is any known flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be conducted.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Portslade?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Portslade. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I was pointed in your direction by a few property agents in Portslade to select a conveyancer on your site. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to market your services over alternative conveyancing organisations?

We refuse to give any commission for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.