I was told recently by my lender that my Hemel Hempstead lawyer is not on the lender Solicitor panel. What can I do to be sure that this is correct?

Your first step should be to call your Hemel Hempstead conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you of the situation. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your mortgage company.

I am acquiring a house mortgage free in Hemel Hempstead. I have lived for the last 15 years in Hemel Hempstead. Conveyancing searches are a lot of money. Given that I have knowledge of the area and road very well must I have all the conveyancing searches?

In the absence of a mortgage, then all but one or two of the Hemel Hempstead conveyancing searches are at your discretion. Your conveyancer will ’encourage you, no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but she is duty bound to take that path of encouragement . One thing to take into account; if you are going to dispose of the house in the future, it may be of relevance to your future buyer what the searches contain. Sometimes premises with functional issues can still throw up adverse search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Hemel Hempstead should provide you some practical advice in this regard.

Have completed on a a semi-detached house in Hemel Hempstead , how long should it take for the Land Registry to deal with the formalities evidencing my ownership? My Hemel Hempstead conveyancing solicitor has been painfully slow, so I want to be certain that my purchase is registered.

As far as conveyancing in Hemel Hempstead is concerned, registration is no faster or slower than anywhere else in England and Wales. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can differ depending on the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry communicate with any third parties. At present roughly three quarters of such applications are completed within two weeks but occasionally there can be longer hold-ups. Registration takes place after the purchaser is living at the premises therefore post completion formalities is not typically primary concern yet if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer can speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.

How does conveyancing in Hemel Hempstead differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Hemel Hempstead approach us having been asked by the builder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because house builders in Hemel Hempstead usually acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Hemel Hempstead or who has acted in the same development.

I am an executor of my recently deceased parent's Will, with a bungalow in Hemel Hempstead which is to be marketed. The bungalow is unregistered at the Land Registry and I'm advised that some purchasers will insist that it is done before they will move forward. What's the procedure for this?

In the circumstances you refer to it seems advisable to seek to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. HMLR’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and official copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.