At what point will exchange of contracts take place for residential conveyancing in Hilton and do I need to attend the solicitors office?
If you are in close proximity to our conveyancing solicitors in Hilton you are invited in to sign contracts. That being said, the firms we recommend offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and give just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you digitally. The signing of the sale agreement is not the point of no return. Signing on the dotted line simply enables the conveyancer to address the formalities at the suitable time, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The exchange process is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where an extended "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Hilton)to be in the office at the appropriate time.
Our lender has recommended a law firm on their panel based in Hilton but I would rather choose a conveyancing lawyer in Hilton round the corner to me. Are you able to assist?
It is by no means the case that all Hilton conveyancing practices are approved and listed on all lender’s conveyancing panel. Please make use of our search tool to choose a Hilton conveyancing solicitor on the on the mortgage company panel.
I am expecting a OIP from UBS this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do UBS recommend any Hilton solicitors on the UBS conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Hilton solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the UBS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and UBS through the process.
After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Hilton. My mortgage broker suggested a conveyancing practitioner. I paid an advanced payment of £150. Not long after, the property lawyer contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Yorkshire BS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
I have finally had an offer on a maisonette in Hilton accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have put an offer on a flat, but it’s not yet tied up, and have viewings of other flats in the pipeline. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Hilton. What should be my next step? At what stage do I apply for the mortgage with Virgin Money?
It is normal to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey, Hilton conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Virgin Money approved list. As to the next phase this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. During a hot market the majority of buyers would apply for a home loan with Virgin Money and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their property lawyer to move forward with searches.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Hilton I like with open areas and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Hilton suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
Should you require a home loan that many years will likely be an issue. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.
Our lawyer in Hilton has informed me that he requires identification documents asserting that this forms part of his obligations as a solicitor on the mortgage company Solicitor panel. Can this be correct?
Due to Money Laundering Regulations your conveyancing lawyer is duty bound to confirm positively your identification when entering into a business relationship with you. It is a criminal offence if your lawyer not do this. If you do not provide ID early in the transaction the solicitor must refuse to act for you. It’s unlikely a lawyer will turn you away if you come to the first meeting without relevant ID but you will have to produce it at some point so you might as well bring it with you to the initial meeting so the lawyer can tick the ID verification box and start sorting out the conveyancing straight away. If you are getting a mortgage, your lawyer also has to check ID documents to satisfy the lender. This is not unique to conveyancing in Hilton