My wife and I are nearing an exchange on a house in Chalfont St Peter and my parents have transferred the ten percent deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not arrived from me my property lawyer needs to disclose this to my mortgage company. I am advised that, in also acting for the mortgage company he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I advised the mortgage company regarding my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really necessary for this now to be an issue?
Your solicitor is obliged to clarify with lender to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own resources. The solicitor can only notify this to your lender if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
We note that you have a search directory listing solicitors on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for our own conveyancing in Chalfont St Peter?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Chalfont St Peter.
My wife and I buying a terrace house in Chalfont St Peter. We would like to convert the garage to an office at the property.Will legal due diligence on the property include checks to see if these works are allowed?
Your conveyancer should review the registered title as conveyancing in Chalfont St Peter can on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which restrict categories of works or need the permission of another owner. Some works need local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be prudent to check these issues with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.
It is not clear whether my bank requires a lease extension. I have called into my local Chalfont St Peter building society branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they will lend. My Chalfont St Peter conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they will not lend based on their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?
Provided that the conveyancing practitioner is on the lender approved list, she or he must adhere to the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.
I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by RBS. Is it usual for RBS to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Chalfont St Peter is approved on their conveyancing panel? RBS have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for RBS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the RBS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
How does conveyancing in Chalfont St Peter differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Chalfont St Peter come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is completed. This is because builders in Chalfont St Peter usually 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 used to new build conveyancing in Chalfont St Peter or who has acted in the same development.
I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing solicitor in Chalfont St Peter for my home move. Can I check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?
You may search for documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions started on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could recorded telephone calls for training purposes.