It is 10 years ago since I purchased my home in Small Heath. Conveyancing solicitors have just been appointed on the sale but I can't track down the deeds. Is this a problem?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be retained by the mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who oversaw your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Almost all conveyancing in Small Heath relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.
I have Fifty Six years unexpired on my lease and require a lease extension for my flat in Small Heath. Conveyancing solicitors on the Bank of Ireland panel can deal with such extensions right?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Bank of Ireland have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 30/1/2026 the requirements read as follows :
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Small Heath is where the house is located. Can you offer any opinion?
Flying freeholds in Small Heath are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Small Heath you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Small Heath may ascertain 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.
My husband and I are 18 days into a freehold purchase having been referred to solicitors by the high street agent to execute conveyancing in Small Heath. We are not happy. Could you you assist me in finding new conveyancers?
They would have to be very bad in order to consider changing them. Has your mortgage been generated? If so you will need to inform them of the replacement solicitor and have the mortgage documents are re-issued. Your new solicitor ideally needs to be on the lenders panel to avoid added fees and delays. That should be your first question of the new solicitors. Our search tool can help you find a bank approved lawyer for your conveyancing in Small Heath
Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Small Heath. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.
If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Small Heath - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.
Small Heath Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider Prior to buying
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How much is the ground rent and service charge? This question is helpful as a) areas may result in problems in the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if maintenance remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the managing agents you will need to have complete disclosure Many Small Heath leasehold apartments will be liable to pay a service bill for the upkeep of the building invoiced on behalf of the management company. If you acquire the apartment you will have to pay this contribution, normally quarterly accross the year. This may differ from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common grounds. There will also be a ground rent to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a significant amount, say about £50-£100 but you need to check as occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds.
I have finally had an offer on an apartment in Small Heath accepted, the seller does nevertheless have an associated purchase. The owners have offered on on an apartment, although it’s not yet agreed to, and has viewings of other properties booked. I have selected a local conveyancing lawyer in Small Heath. What do I do now? At what point do I apply for the mortgage with HSBC?
It is understandable to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Small Heath conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the HSBC conveyancing panel. As to the subsequent stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot market the majority of home buyers would apply for a home loan with HSBC and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they ask their solicitor to move forward with searches.