I have just been advised by my lender that my Portslade the law firm I have appointed is not on the mortgage company Solicitor panel. What can I do to check?
You need to contact your Portslade conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to inform you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your lender.
Our son-in-law is buying a new build apartment in Portslade with a home loan from Coventry BS. His solicitor has advised him of a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. Who needs to receive the form?
The document is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when requested. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Coventry BS conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Portslade. My lender is Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 16/9/2025, the requirements read as follows :
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and found one near me in Portslade I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Portslade for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
If you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be an issue. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you could 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 term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.
My brother has suggested that I appoint his conveyancers in Portslade. Do I take his guidance?
There are no two ways about it the best way to choose a conveyancing solicitor is to have referrals from friends or relatives who have actually experience in using the conveyancer you're contemplating using.
We own a leasehold flat in Portslade. Conveyancing was finalised in last year. I have heard that I should not allow the lease length get too short. Why is that a problem?
Portslade leasehold properties are for a prescribed period - normally 99 years when they started. However many flats in Portslade were constructed or converted in the 70’s80’s and so such leases now have fewer than 80 years remaining. This may sound like a long time but Banks, Building Societies and other mortgage companies on the whole require leases to have at least 75 years left to be mortgageable. This means that when you come to sell the property you will need a lease extension if you are nearing seventy five years. To increase your property value you should be thinking about whether to extend your lease well in advance of selling the property. Furthermore advantages to taking action before the lease hits eighty years as when the lease falls below eighty years the premium to be paid to extend starts to get a lot more expensive.