The County Durham conveyancing solicitors that I appointed last week on my house acquisition in County Durham have without warning closed. I chose them because I needed a firm on the Aldermore conveyancing panel and my family County Durham lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take one hundred and fifty pounds for searches. What do I do now?
Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then inform them immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Aldermore conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to assist.
A friend suggested that where I am buying in County Durham I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard County Durham conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about County Durham around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the County Durham Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, County Durham Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about County Durham.
I acquired my apartment on 12 July and the transaction details is yet to be registered. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in County Durham expressed confidence that it should be dealt with inside ten days. Are titles in County Durham uniquely lengthy to register?
There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in County Durham registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can differ depending on who lodges the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry need to notify any 3rd parties. At present roughly three quarters of such applications are completed within two weeks but some can be subject to protracted delays. Registration occurs once the purchaser has moved in to the property so an expedited registration is not typically top priority yet where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor can speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.
Is it simple use the search facility to get a fee calculation from a conveyancing solicitor in County Durham on the approved list for my mortgage?
1st select a mortgage company such as Nationwide Building Society, Bank of Scotland or Godiva Mortgages Ltd then specify your preferred area e.g. County Durham. Conveyancing practices in County Durham and beyond should be listed.
My husband and I yesterday become aware that one of the partners of the solicitors handling the purchase conveyancing in County Durham is a relative of the vendor. Is this acceptable?
On the basis that no conflict arises this is permitted. Where you are needing mortgage finance then the mortgage company may have a say as many banks have specific requirements concerning this. For example for Coventry Building Society as of 6/4/2024, the requirements read as follows :