What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Hitchin? What am I being asked for?

To satisfy the Money Laundering Regulations any Hitchin conveyancing firm will require evidence of your identity in all conveyancing matters. This is normally satisfied by provision of a passport and an original bank statement or utility account evidencing your correct address.

Under Money Laundering Regulations, conveyancing solicitors are duty bound to ascertain not just the ID of conveyancing clients but also the origin of fund that they receive in respect of any matter. An unwillingness to disclose this will result in your solicitor terminating their retainer with you, as clearly this will cause a conflict between the set Regulations and a refusal to disclose.

Your property lawyers are duty bound to inform the appropriate authorities should they consider that any amounts received by them may contravene the Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules.

A friend suggested that if I am buying in Hitchin I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Hitchin conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about Hitchin around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Hitchin Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Hitchin Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Hitchin.

I acquired my flat on 12 August and the transaction details is yet to be on the land registry website. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in Hitchin said it would be formalised inside ten days. Are transfers in Hitchin uniquely lengthy to register?

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Hitchin registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timescales can vary according to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry must send notices to any interested persons or bodies. Currently approximately three quarters of such applications are fully dealt with in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be protracted hold-ups. Registration occurs after the purchaser has moved in to the property therefore post completion formalities is not always an essential issue but if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers can contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I am looking for a conveyancing solicitor in Hitchin for my sale. Is it possible to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

You may search for documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from investigations commenced on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes monitor telephone calls for training requirements.

My solicitor in Hitchin has informed me that he requires identification documents asserting that this forms part of his retainer as a solicitor on the lender Solicitor panel. Is this right?

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 specific to conveyancing in Hitchin