I am nearing exchange of contracts for my flat in Cambourne and the EA has just telephoned to warn that the purchasers are swapping conveyancer. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only deal with property lawyers on their approved list. Why would a leading lender only engage with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Cambourne ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for decades.

Banks justify this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

Can I use your services to locate a Conveyancing solicitor in Cambourne even where I’m not buying or selling a house, for example where I want to buy a shop in Cambourne with a mortgage from Nottingham Building Society?

Our search tool is predominantly there to locate residential conveyancing solicitors in Cambourne but we have set out towards the bottom of this page some Cambourne commercial conveyancing firms. You will need to speak with the company directly to see if they can also act for Nottingham Building Society

When scouring online forums for a recommended solicitor in Cambourne, many advise that I should instruct a CQS kitemarked lawyer. Can you explain what CQS is?

The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) provides a kitemark for residential conveyancing practices issued by the Law Society. Membership achievement establishes a level of credibility for member firms with stakeholders (regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers) based upon: * the integrity of the senior responsible officer and other key conveyancing staff * the firm's adherence to good practice management standards * compliance with best practice conveyancing processes through the scheme protocol It includes numerous partnerships who conduct conveyancing in Cambourne.

I have todayfound out that Wolstenholmes have closed. They conducted my conveyancing in Cambourne for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 10 months ago. How can I establish that my home is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?

The easiest way to see if the premises is registered to you, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Cambourne conveyancing specialists.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Fifty years left on my flat in Cambourne. I now wish to get lease extension but my freeholder is can not be found. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the Court. You will be obliged to prove that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the lessor. For most situations a specialist would be useful to conduct investigations and prepare a report which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Cambourne.

Cambourne Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

You should be aware that where the lease has less than eighty years it will affect the salability of the apartment. Check with your bank that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will almost definitely need a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. For most Cambournelease extensions you would be required to have been the owner of the property for two years before you are eligible to extend the lease. Its a good idea to find out as much as you can regarding the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day issues such as the cleanliness of the common parts. Enquire of other people if they are happy with them. On a final note, be sure you understand the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money. Be sure to discover if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For example some leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Cambourne. If you love the flatin Cambourne however your dog can’t live with you then you have a very hard compromise.