If you had a top tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Bath what would it be?
We would encourage you not to base your choice on the lowest Bath conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Yorkshire BS. Bath conveyancing practitioners have been appointed. How long does it take for Yorkshire BS to issue the offer to the conveyancing practitioner?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Yorkshire BS completed the valuation? Have you informed Yorkshire BS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Bath off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Bank of Ireland. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.
A friend advised me that if I am buying in Bath I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Bath conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Bath around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Bath Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Bath.
I used Arc property Solicitors a few years ago for my conveyancing in Bath. I now require my file but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Bath of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Bath is where the house is located. What do you suggest?
Flying freeholds in Bath are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Bath you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Bath may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
How do I identify a Bath law firm on the Santander conveyancing panel? I have a car and am happy to travel upto 25miles to meet the lawyer.
You can use the tool on this page. Please choose the bank and your location and you will see a number of Bath conveyancing lawyers locally. We have detailed some Bath conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can contact them to check if they are on the Santander panel