My lawyer in Gower is not on the Approved Panel. Can I still use my prefered solicitor even though they are excluded from the panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?
Your options are as follows:
- Carry on with your existing Gower solicitors but will need to instruct a conveyancer on their list of acceptable firms. This will result in additional total legal fees as well as result in delays.
- Get an alternative lawyer to act in the purchase, not forgetting to check they are on the panel
My friend advised me that where I am purchasing in Gower I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is occasionally included in the estimate for your Gower conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Gower around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Gower.
I'm purchasing my first flat in Gower with a mortgage from . The developers refused to move on the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about this extras as it could adversely affect my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Gower before retaining conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. Our surveyor advised that some banks may refuse to grant a mortgage on this type of home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different requirements for example to Halifax. If you call us we can investigate further with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Gower. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Gower especially if they are familiar with such properties in Gower.
We're new to the buying process - agreed a price, but the agent has warned us that the vendor will only go ahead if we instruct their chosen conveyancers as they need an ‘expedited deal’. We would rather use a family solicitor with experience of conveyancing in Gower
It is highly unlikely the vendors are behind this. If they require ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Try to communicate with the vendors directly and make the point that (a)you are serious purchasers (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you are unencumbered (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you intend to instruct your preferred Gower conveyancing lawyers - as opposed tothose that will provide the negotiator at the agency a kickback or achieve conveyancing figures set by HQ.