Me and my partner are buying residence in Birmingham. My Conveyancer is not on the mortgage company approved list. Am I still permitted to continue with my Birmingham conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the lender panel?

One will need to use a conveyancing practitioner to complete the legal work required when you require a loan to purchase your home. The lawyer will carry out all the appropriate legal checks on the property, make sure that you will be properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the necessary mortgage paperwork is in place. One can instruct a Birmingham conveyancing practitioner of your choosing. Nevertheless, if the lawyer appointed is not a member of the bank solicitor panel further fees will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by them. Bank panel applications may be submitted, so provided your conveyancer has not historically sought membership they should take the opportunity to apply.

I am buying a newly built duplex in Birmingham and my conveyancer is informing me that she has to the bank to disclose incentives from the seller. I am on a tight deadline to exchange contracts and my preference is not to delay matters. 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 mortgage company panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. 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 can a local search reveal about the property we're purchasing in Birmingham?

Birmingham conveyancing often commences with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company for example Searchflow The local search is essential in every Birmingham conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any nasty once you have moved into your new home. The search should supply data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic areas.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and found one round the corner in Birmingham I like with open areas and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 49 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Birmingham suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term may be problematic. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.

How up-to-date is your database of lawyers on the lender conveyancing panel in Birmingham? Do the mortgage companies send you an updated list?

Birmingham law firm practices and firms carrying out conveyancing in Birmingham themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the bank conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from the mortgage company directly.