My wife and I are looking to acquire a property in Harwich and are in fact using a Harwich conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our solicitor has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Godiva Mortgages Ltd have this evening contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Harwich conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?

Where you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is conventional for the purchasers' lawyers to also represent the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Harwich lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.

My husband and I are buying a newly built flat in Harwich and my conveyancer is telling me that she has to the mortgage company to reveal incentives from the seller. I am nearing the developer’s deadline to sign contracts and I don't want to prolong the conveyancing. is my lawyer playing by the book?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your conveyancer. A precondition to being on a lender panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Harwich? Is this really necessary?

To satisfy the Money Laundering Regulations any Harwich conveyancing firm will require evidence of your identity in all conveyancing matters. This is normally dealt with by provision of a passport and an original bank statement or utility bill showing your correct address.

In accordance with Money Laundering Regulations, conveyancing solicitors are obliged by law to investigate not simply the ID of conveyancing clients but also the origin of fund that they receive in respect of any matter. An unwillingness to disclose this will lead to your conveyancer terminating their relationship with you, as clearly this will cause a conflict between the set Regulations and a refusal to disclose.

Your conveyancers will have an obligation to make a disclosure to the appropriate authorities should they consider that any amounts received by them may contravene the Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules.

I have just over seventy years unexpired on my lease and need a lease extension for my apartment in Harwich. Conveyancing solicitors on the Platform panel can deal with such extensions correct?

Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are getting a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Platform have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 7/5/2024 the requirements read as follows :

I have recentlybecome aware that Stirling Law have closed. They carried out my conveyancing in Harwich for a purchase of a leasehold flat 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is in my name in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest way to see if the premises is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Harwich conveyancing specialists.