What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Oldbury? Is this really warranted?

Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the identification documents of the person or body they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing business. The Client Care letter that you are required to sign should reaffirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. Where you refuse to hand over identification documents, your lawyer would not be able to accept instructions from you.

The Oldbury conveyancing solicitors that I appointed last week on my purchase in Oldbury have without warning shut down. I only went with them because I had to have a firm on the Nationwide conveyancing panel and my previous Oldbury lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £195 for searches. What do I do now?

If you have an estate agent involved then let them know straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to assist.

I am buying a new build flat in Oldbury. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Oldbury

If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared.

I am a fortnight into a freehold purchase having been directed to a firm by the selling agent to do our conveyancing in Oldbury. I am am starting to be dissatisfied with the level of service. Can you help me find new solicitors?

They would have to be really bad to suggest diss instructing them. Has your mortgage been issued? If so you will need to make them aware of the new contact details and have the mortgage documents are re-issued. Your new conveyancer needs to be on the lenders panel to avoid escalating fees and delays. So that should be your starting point. The search tool should assist you in finding a bank approved conveyancer for your home move in Oldbury

My estate agent has recommended their property lawyer for our conveyancing in Oldbury - won’t it be better to just instruct them?

You need to establish if the selling agent is recommending a conveyancer or introducing to a lawyer. There are plenty of Oldbury estate agents who recommend two or three Oldbury conveyancing firms purely based on those lawyers offering a great service.