The Highnam conveyancing solicitors that I recently instructed on my house acquisition in Highnam have without warning closed. They were on acting for me because I needed a lawyer on the Aldermore conveyancing panel and my preferred Highnam lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £195 for searches. What should be my next steps?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Aldermore conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors may be able to help.
I am helping my step-mother sell her flat in Highnam. Does the conveyancing solicitor commission the energy assessment or it is for the seller to coordinate?
Following the abolition of HIPs, energy assessments became a required element of moving property. An energy assessment needs to be to hand prior to the property being advertised. It is not something that law firms ordinarily arrange. If you are instructing a Highnam conveyancing lawyer they might be able to arrange energy assessments given their contacts with long established local accredited person
This question may be naive but I am new to the house moving as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Highnam. Do I pick up the keys to the house on completion from my lawyer? If so, I will use a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Highnam?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the completion advance to the vendor’s conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be called to receive the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this occurs early afternoon.
I had an offer accepted on an apartment in Highnam on 24/10/2025, valuation was booked 4 days after, all came back fine. Solicitor appointed, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Kent Reliance and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Kent Reliance to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Highnam I like with a park and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 61 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Highnam in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?
If you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be an issue. Discount the offer by the anticipated 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 could ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.
In searching the world wide web for the words on line conveyancing in Highnam it shows results of numerous conveyancersin the vicinity. How do I determine which is the right solicitor for purchase transaction?
The ideal way of choosing a suitable conveyancer is via personal referral, so ask colleagues and those you trust who have purchased a property in Highnam or the respected estate agent or mortgage broker. Fees for conveyancing in Highnam differ, so it's a good idea to obtain a minimum of three fee calculations from varying types of solicitors. Be sure to seek confirmation what costs in the quote includes.
Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden apartment in Highnam. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, but I have just had a yearly service charge invoice – what should I do?
The sensible thing to do is clear the maintenance contribution as normal given that all rents and maintenance invoices will be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Highnam - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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The answer will be useful as a) areas can cause problems in the building as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will want to have all the details How much is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the apartment? Does the lease contain onerous restrictions?
For various reasons I cannot visit my Highnam conveyancing solicitors office to execute documents connected to my conveyancing in Highnam – is this a problem?
You need not be concerned. Highnam conveyancing solicitors can undertake conveyancing transactions for clients from a distance. It is not necessary for you to be able to meet your lawyer in the flesh at a Highnam conveyancers office. Almost all conveyancing practitioner can handle all communications remotely from their Highnam office.