My wife and I are buying a 2 bedroom apartment in Barmouth with a mortgage. We like our Barmouth solicitor, however the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It appears that we have no choice but to use one of the mortgage company panel solicitors or retain our Barmouth solicitor as well as pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Barmouth conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
Finally the sale completed on my house in Barmouth last September yet the purchaser is telephoning every few hours complaining that his lawyer needs to hear from mylawyer. What should my lawyer have done now that I have sold?
Post completion of your sale your solicitor is duty bound to deliver the transfer deeds and all of the paperwork to the buyer’s lawyers. If applicable, your conveyancer must also send confirmation that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been paid off to the buyers solicitors. There is unlikely to be post completion requirements unique to conveyancing in Barmouth.
My lawyer in Barmouth is not on the Alliance & Leicester Approved Panel. Can I still retain my prefered solicitor even though they are not on the Alliance & Leicester list of approved lawyers?
Your options are as follows:
- Complete the purchase with your preferred Barmouth lawyers but Alliance & Leicester will need to use a solicitor on their panel. This will inevitably rack up the overall conveyancing fees as well as result in delays.
- Find a new lawyer to to deal with the conveyancing, remembering to check they are on the Alliance & Leicester panel
How does conveyancing in Barmouth differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Barmouth come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because builders in Barmouth typically purchase the real estate, 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Barmouth or who has acted in the same development.
What is the best way to find the right lawyer for my conveyancing in Barmouth ?
Option 1 is to ask the people you trust who they would recommend. Second, use a search tool on the internet for conveyancing in Barmouth. Phone two or three from the list and request that they email you their conveyancing estimate and speak to the lawyer who will conduct your conveyancing before you make your choice. Third is to make use of this site to help you find the right lawyers taking into account your unique requirements including location,speed, complexity and who the proposed mortgage company is.Do not be fooled by lowest cost conveyancing solicitors in Barmouth