My husband and I are hoping to purchase a flat in Llandudno Junction and are in fact using a Llandudno Junction conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. National Westminster Bank have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Llandudno Junction lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?
If you are buying a property needing a mortgage it is conventional for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Llandudno Junction solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
My fiance and I are hoping to buy a 3 bedroom apartment in Llandudno Junction with a loan from Barnsley Building Society.We use our Llandudno Junction conveyancing solicitor but Barnsley Building Society says she’s not listed on their approved list of member firms. It seems we have no choice but to instruct a Barnsley Building Society panel solicitor or retain our preferred solicitor and fork out for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. The loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, one of which will be that conveyancers will be on the Barnsley Building Society approved list. Until recently, most banks had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Barnsley Building Society
I am helping my niece sell her property in Llandudno Junction. Does the conveyancing solicitor commission an EPC or it is for the owner to see to?
After the demise of Home Packs, EPC’s became a required part of moving house. An energy assessment must be to hand prior to the property being placed on the market. This is not something that law firms normally arrange. If you are using a Llandudno Junction conveyancing practitioner they may help arrange energy performance certificates given their contacts with long established local assessors
We have agreed to purchase a house in Llandudno Junction. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Nationwide have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Nationwide your lawyer must comply with the conveyancing instructions set out in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nationwide. The CML Handbook includes minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancers are required to report to Nationwide where a lease fails to satisfy these requirements. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not limited to Llandudno Junction.
Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Llandudno Junction. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?
All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.
Taking into account that I will soon spend £400,000 on a property in Llandudno Junction I wish to talk to a conveyancer regarding thehome move ahead of instructing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?
We could not agree more - we would be pleased to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the solicitor due to be conducting your property ownership legalities in Llandudno Junction.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is unique person, not a case reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are quoted for your conveyancing in Llandudno Junction should be the figure that you end up paying.
I need to find a conveyancing solicitor for my conveyancing in Llandudno Junction. I've land on a site which looks to be the perfect solution If it is possible to get all this stuff completed via email that would be preferable. Should I be wary? What should out be looking out for?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?