You are probably asking this question since you have been left with the task of dealing with the Estate and the granting of Probate of someone who has passed away. Is the Will valid? You must check through the Will to make sure it is a valid Will, eg, it has been properly...

Can Executors Charge for their work? Executors are entitled to be reimbursed for any out of pocket expenses they have incurred in connection with the Estate during the Probate process. Even though Executors are usually responsible for a substantial amount of work during the administering of...

 Applying for Probate can be a stressful and emotional process especially if you are grieving the loss of someone close having recently passed away. It is especially important that you are not taken advantage of at this time and that you do not make a bad decision when instructing a Probate...

 Once you have an idea of what the Estate consists of (by listing all the assets) you will have a better idea of what the eventual Probate costs will come to. This is an overview of the costs involved when applying for Probate. Legal CostsFirstly, you must...

When a person dies, someone has to deal with their affairs. This is called 'administering the estate' or 'Probate'.

 A Trustee is someone who holds property on trust for another – ie, a beneficiary. It is often the case that the Executors named in the Will are also appointed Trustees. It is usual practice to appoint at least two Trustees, when making a Will.Who can benefit from a trust? A trust...

When someone dies leaving a Will they usually name at least one Executor. It is usual practice to appoint at least two, that way, if one passes away the other can act without the need for the Probate Registry to appoint a new one. The Executor is responsible for administering the...

Dealing with the death of a close family member can be a very harrowing experience so it is hard to get into the right frame of mind and deal with the administrative things that need to be addressed when someone passes away. That said, it is very important to act quickly and to start the...

This recently reported case of 'Re Northall (deceased) 2010' relates to the principles behind joint bank accounts where one party provides the funds for the account. Click here to read the full report in the Law Gazette 22 July 2010.The deceased, a frail Mrs Northall, sold her property in December...

  In order to deal with the assets of the deceased’s Estate, a Grant of Probate must be obtained. This effectively gives the Executors the authority to deal with the Estate in accordance with the wishes of the deceased. All Executors must apply for Probate jointly Where...

It is not uncommon to find leasehold properties in London which have a short number of years left to run on the lease (often referred to as the ‘unexpired term’ ). If this is the case, consideration needs to be given to applying to extend a lease.Why extend the lease?Once the...

Do I have to get an EPC when selling my property in Brighton?You must obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in Brighton when you market your property. This is a legal requirement. The EOC must be produced within 28 days of the property being placed on the market.The EPC was formerly...

You will need to apply for Probate if you have been appointed to act as an Executor in the Will of someone who has died. The Grant of Probate gives the Executors permission to deal with the deceased’s Estate. Probate is generally required in Estates worth more than £5,000.All...

  Obtaining Grant of Probate to deal with a person’s Estate can be a rather daunting prospect, not to mention, emotional, especially where a loved one has passed away. It is therefore both useful and important to have an understanding of the basic procedures involved so the Grant...

 Do I have to get an EPC when selling my property in Manchester?It is a legal requirement to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when you market your property. The EPC must be produced within 28 days of the property being placed on the market.The EPC used to be part of the...

 Dealing with the Estate of someone who has passed away can be a very difficult and emotional task, especially, if the deceased was a close family member. If you have been appointed an Executor of an Estate it is very important to fully understand what is involved in order to ensure Probate...

Do I have to get an EPC when selling my property in Birmingham?An Energy Performance Certificate must, by law, be commissioned by a seller when they market their property. The EPC must be produced within 28 days of the property being placed on the market.The EPC was formerly part of the Home...

 When someone is left with the job of applying for Probate, it can present itself as a rather daunting task, especially if they are not familiar with what happens during the Probate process.If you are appointed as one of the Executors of a Will then it is usual practice for you and...

A conveyancer will only know whether his client is solvent or not when they carry out a bankruptcy search, as part of the conveyancing process. A bankruptcy search is carried out just prior to exchange of contracts, to ensure the buyer is not bankrupt.If the buyer is found to be bankrupt then the...

There are a number of standard disbursements involved when selling a property. Disbursements are payable in addition to your conveyancer’s fees and should all be set out clearly in the initial client care letter you receive at the start of the conveyancing process.Disbursements in a sale will...

Buying a property can be a costly venture so it is best to go into it fully aware of what exactly you will be spending your money on! This article will set out the main disbursements that are involved during the conveyancing process when buying a freehold or leasehold...

Since HIPs have now been abolished the buyer cannot force the seller to complete a fresh one, so if there is any information in the PIQ that is not covered in any other forms then it can be raised as a pre-contract enquiry.SellersAs a Seller, you should send the HIPs pack to the...

Chain transactions are very common in Conveyancing since it is normal practice finding a buyer or a seller who has a property to sell or buy themselves. The key to ensuring things progress smoothly is to make sure the respective parties are organised and keep their conveyancers informed of any...

It is possible to find Fast, Cheap Conveyancing without compromising on service. If you are intending to complete on your property transaction ASAP, get in touch with Fridaysmove today.

 If you have been appointed Executor of an Estate it is important to understand what your duties are and how the Probate process works. The Probate process involves a number of steps and the key thing is to be as organised as possible. Do you want to be Executor?If you do not want to act...

A grant must be obtained before a house belonging to a deceased owner is sold, but how long will this take?

Your Conveyancing Solicitor will carry out these searches to protect you during the purchase process - You don't want to find any skeletons in the closet!

One of the areas of Conveyancing transactions that causes a lot of confusion is the 'Deposit'. On the exchange of contracts, a deposit of 10% must be paid by the purchaser to the seller.

 The purpose of Requisitions on Title is for the Buyer’s Conveyancing Solicitor or conveyancer to raise any queries relating to the title supplied by the Seller, which they have found to be unsatisfactory. On a practical level, requisitions on title are also used to deal with the...

There are a number of issues to consider where a sub sale is involved during the purchase conveyancing process.Always instruct a Conveyancing Solicitor with relevant experience in this area. Who are the Parties?Firstly, it is important to understand who the parties are:The Buyer – is the...

Mortgage fraud is on the increase and fraudsters are becoming increasingly creative about the ways in which they commit mortgage fraud. Conveyancing Solicitors must therefore be extra vigilant where they suspect mortgage fraud taking place and take all necessary steps and...

 There a number of InheritanceTax exemptions and this article will outline exactly what is exempt in order to assist you with some basic tax planning.If your estate is worth more than £325,000 which is the present IHT threshold, there are  a number of tax exemptions that you should...

What should the new lease contain?When acting on the grant of a new lease during a conveyancing transaction special care must be taken to ensure the wording of the various clauses is clear and acceptable and that all the correct clauses are included. It is important to instruct a conveyancer or...

If you are buying a tenanted property there are a number of things that you must bear in mind. The process and considerations are slightly different to a regular Conveyancing transaction but provided your Conveyancing Solicitor knows what they are doing, it should not be too...

The time to take out buildings insurance on a property during the purchase conveyancing process will depend on a few factors, e.g. whether the property is freehold or leasehold.It will also depend on the terms of the contract as to who is responsible for the property from exchange of...

Land Registry receive a number of applications to register new ownership involving cases where the title of the landlord to grant the lease that is being registered has not actually been produced to Land Registry.In these circumstances, as the Land Registry do not have any evidence to show that the...

There are a number of different classes of title and it is important to know what each of them mean and whether they will pose any problems when applying to register a transfer of ownership.The class of title of a particular property can be seen in the Official Copies of Register Entries under the...

Stamp duty land tax is usually payable to HM Revenue and Customs when you buy or lease land or property. It may also be payable on transfers of property or land. It is paid at the end of the conveyancing transaction. Stamp Duty rates When purchasing a property it is important to ensure that...

Conditional Contracts are generally not desirable but in some cases parties will insist on entering into them.  They are uncertain and come attached with risk so are not considered appropriate for use in your average Conveyancing transaction. However, they may be suited to the following...

 When a person dies without leaving a valid Will they are said to have died ‘Intestate.’ Their Estate must therefore be distributed under the strict laws of Intestacy which can be found in the Administration of Estates Act 1925. This article focuses on the entitlement of the...

What are Letters of Administration? When a person dies without leaving a Will or a valid Will they are said to have died ‘Intestate.' In order to deal with the deceased’s affairs, Letters of Administration must be applied for by the deceased’s relatives or other entitled...

There is no requirement in law for either party to pay a preliminary deposit to the other party since there is no legal contractual obligation to go ahead with a sale or a purchase until exchange of contracts has taken place. However, you will find that in some cases a preliminary deposit is...

Death of Sole BuyerUpon the death of the buyer, the Personal Representatives (PRs) effectively  take on the role  and responsibilities of the buyer. If contracts have been exchanged then the PRs are bound to complete, however, they must wait until a formal Grant of Probate has been...

 Death of Sole SellerThe death of one of the contracting parties between contract and completion does not affect the validity of the contract. The burden and benefit of the contract simply pass to the Personal Representatives who are then bound to complete. As the Personal Representatives...

What is Inheritance Tax / IHT ? Inheritance Tax  (IHT) is usually payable on an Estate when someone dies. IHT must be paid within 6 months of the death of the deceased at the rate of 40%, after taking into account the nil rate band for that year. Therefore, anything over the nil...

Now that the HIPs packs have been suspended, there is a little less paperwork a Seller needs to deal with when selling a property.The main forms and documents are as follows: Stage 1Sellers Property Information FormSellers Leasehold Information FormFixtures Fittings and Contents ListThese...

Selling your property is a slightly more straightforward procedure as compared to the home buying process. Sellers should bear a few matters in mind before they get ready to put their property on the market:Home ImprovementsMake sure you are presenting your home in the best possible light –...

 It is very important from a seller’s point of view that they achieve the best possible price on the sale of their property. Before putting your property on the market it is therefore worth considering whether there is anything you can do to improve its appearance with a view to...

 If you are buying a property for the first time the whole process can be somewhat daunting. It is very often the case that first time  buyers end up spending more on the ‘extras’ than they had budgeted for.This article is intended to help first time buyers get an idea of what...

The initial ‘making an offer’ stage during the conveyancing process is crucial and you, as the Buyer, must get it right!Where an estate agent is involved, it is usually the case that they will have conducted a valuation of the property. They will then base the marketing price on their...

When a person dies without leaving a Will, they are said to have died ‘Intestate.’  If they have assets when they die then their assets will be distributed under the Probate rules of Intestacy. The provisions on Intestacy are to be found in the Administration of Estates Act...

Insure your Property If you are buying a leasehold property it is almost always the Landlord’s responsibility to take out buildings insurance. However, if buildings insurance is your responsibility, you should make sure the property is insured from the date of exchange of contracts. The...

Mortgage FinanceOnce you have applied for a mortgage it should take a few weeks for matters to be finalised and for the mortgage offer to be sent out to you. You must ensure your conveyancing solicitor’s details are included in the offer letter and that they have a copy. You and your...

  It is always worth undertaking some research yourself before or just after you make an offer to purchase property, just prior to starting the conveyancing process. Local Searches You can inspect the surrounding area yourself looking out for things such as the proximity of...

  When a person dies without leaving a Will, they are said to have died ‘Intestate.’ If they had assets when they died then those assets will be distributed under the rules of Intestacy.You can have a partial intestacy or a full intestacy.Partial IntestacyA partial intestacy...

There are a number of ways to find a conveyancer or solicitor who will be able to assist you with buying your home. One of the quickest ways is via the internet. There are a number of websites, eg, the Law Society website and Yellow Pages online which provide details of firms that undertake...

Should I use a Broker?Some home buyers wish to obtain a mortgage through a mortgage broker and others like to approach the lender directly. It is a matter of preference. If your circumstances are a little complex, eg, past financial difficulty etc. then you may wish to consider instructing a broker...

 It is very important to make sure that all relevant documents are signed in good time before exchange of contracts. Some can wait until after exchange of contracts but it is bet to get as many signed as quickly as possible. It is all too often the case that this is left until the last minute...

 Making a Will is a very important task in ones life. Many people mistakenly believe that you do not have to make a will until you are ‘older’ and therefore do not bother with it until something happens later on in life to make them re-think their position. When you purchase a...

Buying a property can be a stressful or a smooth running process depending on how you approach things. It is very important to have an understanding of the different steps involved so you can undertake some research yourself before hand, but, more importantly, so that you are fully aware of exactly...

There are a wide range of Property Solicitors in Norfolk ranging from large corporate firms to small high street Solicitors practices. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a Solicitor to deal with your legal matter and some research should be under taken by you before you...

Can you take the risk? Although many Buyers do not realise how little protection or information they will get from their mortgage lender's valuation, a smart Buyer will protect their investment with a RICS HomeBuyer Report of Building Survey.

A new model for shared ownership leases was introduced on 6 April 2010 by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).  It is to be used for homes which are built with funding from the HCA. The new style lease  is aimed at providing more clarity for people buying new build Home Buy properties...

The Sellers Property Information form (SPIF) is one of the forms the seller must complete, during the Conveyancing process and it forms part of the pre contract package. It provides information about the property , eg, whether there have been any alterations, boundaries, rights of way, disputes...

What is the true value of your Lender's Mortgage Valuation? We consider the differences between the Home Surveys available to you, and the benefit of choosing a Home Buyers Survey to protect your property (and your wallet) from catastrophe.

To get the process of Buying your Freehold underway, speak to one of our specialist Conveyancing Solicitors today - call us on 0330 660 0286 for more information, or request a callback.The Leasehold, Reform Urban Housing and Development Act  1993 gives ‘qualifying tenants’ the...

  Money Laundering is an ever changing area and is something that conveyancers and solicitors must consider throughout the conveyancing process. What does Money Laundering mean? A general definition for money laundering is ‘the process through which the proceeds of crime, and the true...

The Legal Services Act changes the way in which legal services are regulated in England and Wales. One of the biggest reforms will be the introduction of Alternative Business Structures (ABS) which are due to be permitted from October 2011.This will completely change the structure of law firms to...

What is E-Conveyancing? E-conveyancing was explained in a joint Law Commission/Land Registry report which was published in 2001. It envisages a modern system for Land Registration where each stage of the process can be completed electronically rather than being paper-based. Users of the...

There has been a great deal of debate over HIPs since they were launched in October 2007. Their impact and whether they have actually speeded up the conveyancing process still remains uncertain. If the Conservative Party win the General Election it is likely HIPs packs as we know them will be...

Applying to extend the lease of a flat can be a complicated procedure so you should instruct a conveyancer or solicitor with experience in this area to assist you. The legislation governing the right  to apply for a new lease is the 1993 Leasehold Reform Act (as amended) and it is for the...

Joint ownership of a property is extremely common so it is important to fully understand the ways in which parties can 'co-own' a property and their implications.The two ways of owning a property jointly are as 'joint tenants' and 'tenants in common'. Traditionally, married couples would be advised...

If you are buying a leasehold property then it is the responsibility of the seller to provide you or your Conveyancing Solicitor with a Managing Agents pack (the “Pack”). The Pack contains crucial information about the property and can influence your decision as to whether or not to go...

Raising additional enquiries during the purchase of a property is a very important part of the conveyancing process and great care should be taken by your conveyancer to ensure all matters are investigated properly before you commit to buying a property. There are a number of stages...

Conveyancing Quotes in Hampshire Are you looking to buy a property in Hampshire?If so Fridaysmove are able to assist with your Hampshire Conveyancing. We have extensive experience in dealing with Conveyancing in Hampshire and offer a good, professional service at highly competitive rates.We can...

Fees on Bedfordshire conveyancingHave you found a place to buy or are you looking to sell a property in Bedfordshire? Are you looking for a law firm in Bedfordshire? Fridaysmove are the UK's leading supplier of Conveyancing in Bedfordshire.We also provide listings of law firms in Bedfordshire as a...

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Under the Administration of Justice Act 1985, Licensed Conveyancers are authorised to offer conveyancing services to consumers.

Electronic commerce is here to stay. Conveyancing practitioners will need to move with the times, whether they like it or not.

The long term and admirable vision of the Land Registry is to create “Easier conveyancing for all” - but what is it all about?

My conveyancing solicitor has advised I need a Chancel Search - What is Chancel Liability?

My conveyancing solicitor has advised I need a Cheshire Brine Search - What is this?

Fridays welome recent press coverage highlighting home owners are being charged "unnecessarily" high prices for Home Information Packs as some estate agents are creaming off hidden profits.

Follow this list of do's and don'ts when extending your lease