I plan on purchasing residence in Halesowen. My property lawyer is not listed on the lender solicitor list. Am I still permitted to continue with my Halesowen conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the mortgage company panel?

You will need to have a lawyer to deal with the legal work required if you need a mortgage to purchase your home. They will conduct all the necessary due diligence on the property, make sure that you’re registered as proprietor and ensure that all the required mortgage documentation is in order. You may select a Halesowen lawyer of your choice. Nevertheless, if the conveyancing practitioner appointed is not a member of the mortgage company approved list further charges will be levied as separate legal representation will be need by the lender. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so if your lawyer has not previously applied for membership they should take the chance to apply.

Why is leasehold purchase conveyancing in Halesowen costs more?

The conveyancing charges on a leasehold premises in Halesowen is inevitably greater as compared to a freehold residence. This is due to the extra time required in liaising with the landlord and management company to collate the information concerning whether the rent and service charges have been cleared and whether there are any significant expenditure in the near future on repairs or maintenance of the block.

I am assisting my aunt sell her house in Halesowen. Will the conveyancing solicitor order an energy assessment or it is for me to coordinate?

After the abolition of HIPs, energy assessments became a compulsory component of moving property. An EPC needs to be commissioned in advance of the property being placed on the market. This is not as aspect of the sale process that solicitors normally arrange. If you are instructing a Halesowen conveyancing solicitor they might be willing to arrange EPC’s given their contacts with long established local accredited person

Can I be sure that the Halesowen conveyancing solicitor on the Yorkshire BS panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Halesowen getting recommendations is a good starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always recommend that you speak with the solicitor carrying out your conveyancing.

We are getting a further advance on our mortgage from Aldermore as we want to carry out alterations to our property in Halesowen. Are we obliged to appoint a high street Halesowen solicitor on the Aldermore conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Aldermore do not ordinarily require a member of their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Aldermore list.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Halesowen with a loan from Santander. The developers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent suggested that I not to tell my solicitor about this side-deal as it may impact my loan with Santander. Is this normal?.

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.

I was pointed in your direction by three or four local property agents in Halesowen to select a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial advantage for Estate Agents to offer your lawyers ahead of another?

We refuse to make any commission for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.