It has come to my attention via my financial adviser that my Harborne lawyer is not on the lender Conveyancing panel. How can I be sure that this is correct?
The first thing you need to do is to call your Harborne conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to inform you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your mortgage company.
What happens if my solicitor is removed from the Aldermore Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Harborne?
The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.
My bid for a property was accepted at auction in Harborne. Conveyancing is required. What happens now?
Now that you are legally committed yourself to purchase you must hire the services of a conveyancing solicitor as a matter of urgency as you are facing a pending a fixed date to complete the property. An auction property will have a bespoke legal pack. This should include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the auction pack may provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation relating to leasehold premises. You must pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that you have funds in order to complete on the on the contractual date .
Can I be sure that the Harborne conveyancing solicitor on the UBS panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Harborne getting recommendations is a sensible start. 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 which is cheap as chips. We would always advise that you speak with the lawyer conducting your conveyancing.
I currently have a mortgage with Aldermore for my property in Harborne. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Aldermore?
Your original mortgage agreement with Aldermore will provide that you need their approval prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Aldermore’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Aldermore will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Aldermore directly. You need not do this via a Aldermore conveyancing panel lawyer.
Me and my brother purchased a semi-detached Victorian house in Harborne. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and TSB. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the matching address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Harborne and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.
I have been on the look out for a flat up to £245,000 and found one close by in Harborne I like with a park and transport links in the vicinity, however it's only got 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Harborne suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.