Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from South Hylton. Is there a reason why all South Hylton lawyers are not on all lender panels?
Lenders normally impose restrictions on either the nature or volume of conveyancing solicitors on their panel. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a firm is required to have at least two partners. In addition to restricting the structure of firm, some building societies decided to limit the size of their panel they allow to represent them. You should note that mortgage companies have no responsibility for the standard of advice provided by any South Hylton solicitor on their approved list. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of solicitor panels a few years ago notwithstanding that there are differing thoughts concerning the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Data from the Land Registry exposes that thousands of law practices only conduct one or two conveyances annually. Those advocating conveyancing panel consolidation ask why conveyancing firms should have the right to be listed on a conveyancing panel when clearly property law is not their primary expertise?
My Solicitor in South Hylton is not listed on the Chelsea Building Society Conveyancing Panel. Is it possible for me to use my prefered solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the Chelsea Building Society list of approved lawyers?
The limited options available to you here include:
- Complete the purchase with your preferred South Hylton lawyers but Chelsea Building Society will need to instruct a conveyancer on their panel. This will result in additional total conveyancing fees and result in frustration.
- Choose an alternative solicitor to to deal with the purchase, remembering to check they are on the Chelsea Building Society panel
I am helping my aunt sell her property in South Hylton. Will the conveyancing solicitor order the energy performance certificate or should I organise this?
Following the abolition of HIPs, energy assessments was retained a mandatory part of selling a property. An energy performance certificate must be commissioned in advance of the property being placed on the market. This is not something that lawyers ordinarily organise. If you are using a South Hylton conveyancing solicitor they might help arrange energy assessments given their relationships with reputable local energy assessors
My husband and I have organised a further advance on our home loan from Skipton as we want to conduct alterations to our home in South Hylton. Are we obliged to choose a bricks and mortar South Hylton solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Skipton do not ordinarily appoint firms on their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Skipton panel.
I am selling my house. I had a double glazing fitted in October 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, TSB are being pedantic. The South Hylton solicitor who is on the TSB conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but TSB are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do TSB have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that TSB have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why TSB may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
Should our solicitor be raising enquiries about flooding during the conveyancing in South Hylton.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors carrying out conveyancing in South Hylton. Some people will buy a house in South Hylton, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the purchaser.
Solicitors are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous searches that may be carried out by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which should give them a better appreciation of the risks in South Hylton. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard inquiry of the vendor to discover whether the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not disclosed by the owner, then a purchaser may bring a claim for damages stemming from an inaccurate answer. A buyer’s conveyancers may also carry out an environmental report. This should indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations should be initiated.
I am buying my first flat in South Hylton benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The estate agent suggested that I not inform my lawyer about this extras as it may adversely affect my loan with Nationwide Building Society. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.