My partner’s sister is a solicitor. I expect that I will be offered mate’s pricing for conveyancing, but if not, what level of fees should I be expecting for conveyancing in Downe?
Do compare pricing. Do use our comparison tool on this site. You will notice that fees may contrast greatly but service levels do differ between solicitors as is true with most professions.
We are about to exchange contracts for a freehold house in Downe. We encountered a stumbling block. The loan offer with Coventry Building Society expires on 7/4/2026 but the owners are putting forward a completion date of 9/4/2026. Can one extend the mortgage expiry date?
The best person to deal with your issue is your lawyer who is in a position to calculate if he or she is should be discussing with the lender, seller’s lawyers, selling agents or conceivably all parties based on the circumstances your conveyancing as of today.
We are selling our flat in Downe. Will the conveyancer have to be required to be on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their conditions fairly frequently at the moment.
I am helping my niece sell her house in Downe. Will the solicitor order the energy performance certificate or should I organise this?
Following the abolition of Home Packs, EPC’s was retained a mandatory part of moving property. An energy assessment needs to be commissioned before the property is put on the market. It is not as aspect of the sale process that law firms normally arrange. If you are using a Downe conveyancing lawyer they might be willing to arrange EPC’s given their relationships with reputable Downe accredited person
I can not fathom if my bank requires a lease extension. I have called my Downe bank branch on various occasions and was told it does not affect the mortgage offer and they would lend. My Downe conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called to say that they will not lend based on their specific requirements. Who do I believe?
Provided that the conveyancing practitioner is on the bank panel, they must comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank 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 remaining.
UBS have agreed my home loan in principle, my offer on a apartment in Downe has been accepted, what are the next steps?
Your estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (be sure the property lawyers are on the bank’s approved list). Call up UBS or the broker and finalise any relevant forms. UBS will sellect a valuer who will get in touch with the selling agent or vendor to arrange an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a week to get a mortgage offer. UBS will send the offer to you and your lawyers. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Downe.
I used Wolstenholmes several years past for my conveyancing in Downe. Now, I need the files however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down 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 Downe 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.