My husband and I are buying a 2 bedroom apartment in Oldland with a mortgage. We wish to retain our Oldland solicitor, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It appears that we have little choice but to instruct one of the lender panel firms or continue with our Oldland solicitor as well as pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We regard this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose 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. A further alternative is for your Oldland conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
Do I find a Licenced Conveyancer or Solicitor for conveyancing in Oldland?
There are many registered licenced Conveyancers in Oldland and Solicitor firms in Oldland who provide Conveyancing services It is important to make clear that both are regulated professionals specialising in the legal aspects of the home buying process. They may both also handle other property legal work such as remortgage conveyancing, enfranchisement and transfer of equity conveyancing.
I just bought a house at auction in Oldland. Conveyancing is required. What happens now?
Now that you are legally committed yourself to purchase you now have to retain a conveyancing practitioner quickly as you are faced with a tight a fixed date to complete the property. Every auction property should have an associated auction set of papers. This will include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the auction papers may provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation pertinent to leasehold premises. You should give this to the conveyancer instructed by you as soon as possible. You also need to ensure that your finances are organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.
We had instructed solicitors located in Oldland on the Skipton solicitor panel. They are now charging me a supplemental fee for dealing with the Skipton mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Skipton?
Provided it is contained in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your property lawyer may levy a fee for this. This charge is not set by Skipton but by your Oldland lawyer. Some firms on the Skipton panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but many practices incorporate it on their overall fee.
A relative suggested that where I am buying in Oldland I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is occasionally included in the estimate for your Oldland conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Oldland around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Oldland Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Oldland.
We are 14 days into a residential purchase having been referred to conveyancers by the high street agent to perform conveyancing in Oldland. I am am very frustrated with the quality of service. Could you help me find new lawyers?
They would have to be really bad in order to consider changing them. Has your mortgage been issued? In the event that it has you must inform them of the new solicitor and ensure the loan are issued to the new lawyers. The conveyancer needs to be on the lenders approved list to avoid supplemental fees and frustration. That should be your first question of the new solicitors. The find a solicitor tool should help you find a bank approved lawyer for your home move in Oldland
When it comes to my conveyancing in Oldland should I be paying VAT on the following: (1) Land reg fee on purchase (2) Pre - completion search fee (3) SDLT E submission on purchase (4) Bank TT fee
(1) Land reg fee on purchase - No (2) Pre - completion search fees -No, (such conveyancing searches are HMLR ones and means £4 and possibly £2 bankruptcy per name on your mortgage) (3) SDLT E submission on your purchase - There is no VAT on Stamp Duty. However if the firm is charging a stamp duty e-submission fee as part of their services - some Oldland conveyancers do - that will incur VAT(4) Bank transfer fee - Yes it is for the property lawyer's time in submitting the funds this way.