I was advised yesterday by my IFA that my Lea Bridge solicitor is not on the mortgage company Solicitor panel. How can I be sure whether this is correct?
The first thing you need to do is to contact your Lea Bridge lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to notify you of the situation. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your lender.
My uncle passed away last year and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Lea Bridge. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Aldermore, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?
Given you plan to re-mortgage then Aldermore will require that you use a conveyancer on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Aldermore conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Aldermore mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
I have paid off my mortgage with Bank of Ireland. I assume I don't need a Lea Bridge solicitor on the Bank of Ireland panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Bank of Ireland mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Bank of Ireland mortgage from the register. Bank of Ireland, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Bank of Ireland has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Bank of Ireland has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Lea Bridge off the council. I have a mortgage offer with HSBC. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with HSBC, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel.
Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Lea Bridge. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?
Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Lea Bridge?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Lea Bridge. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
My uncle has recommend that I instruct his conveyancing solicitors in Lea Bridge. Should I find my own property lawyer?
There are no two ways about it the best way to choose a conveyancing practitioner is to have referrals from friends or family who have actually experience in using the conveyancer you're considering.