My mortgage broker has asked me for my Gravesend solicitor’s panel member for the Santander conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have contacted my local Gravesend branch but they don't know it.

Have you tried calling your Gravesend solicitor about this?. They should have a central record lender panel numbers.

Should conveyancers request money on account for conveyancing in Gravesend?

If you are buying a property in Gravesend your lawyer will request that you to provide them with monies to cover the search fees. This will be the total of the cost of the conveyancing searches. When the deposit is payable against the total price then this will be needed immediately in advance of contracts are exchanged. The final balance that is due will be payable a few days prior to the day of completion.

My colleague recommended that where I am purchasing in Gravesend I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Gravesend conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and detailing significant information about Gravesend around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Gravesend Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Gravesend Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Gravesend.

About to purchase a new build flat in Gravesend. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Gravesend

The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

My nephew is embarking on her first house purchase, he had his mortgage in principle. After the offer was accepted on flat we called the building society to move forward with his. We were disappointed to discover that banks do not accept all conveyancing practitioner, they must be on their panel, is this correct?

Mortgage Companies tend to imposes restrictions either the type or the number of conveyancing solicitors on their panel. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that banks have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any Gravesend lawyer on their panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of conveyancing panels a few years ago and whilst there are differing views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms only carry out one or two conveyances a year. Those supporting conveyancing panel cuts ask why law firms should have the right to be on a Lender panel when clearly, conveyancing is not their speciality. To put it another way; would you want a conveyancing solicitor to represent you if you were charged with a crime? Probably not.