My husband and I are buying a 3 bedroom flat in Seascale and Sellafield with a mortgage. We like our Seascale and Sellafield solicitor, but the lender says she’s not on their "panel". It appears that we have little choice but to appoint one of the bank panel firms or retain our Seascale and Sellafield lawyer and pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. We regard this is inequitable; can we not insist that the bank use our Seascale and Sellafield property lawyer ?
No, not really. 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 Seascale and Sellafield conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
We're in Seascale and Sellafield, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Nottingham , and our lawyer is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no property lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
My wife and I are purchasing a flat in Seascale and Sellafield. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we have to send money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our deposit?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Seascale and Sellafield. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an on account payment of £200. Shortly after, the solicitor contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Principality conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Principality panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
I am selling my house. I had a double glazing fitted in August 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Aldermore are being pedantic. The Seascale and Sellafield solicitor who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Aldermore are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Aldermore have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Aldermore have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Aldermore may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
My husband and I are 17 days into a freehold purchase having been directed to a firm by the estate agent to carry out the conveyancing in Seascale and Sellafield. We are not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new solicitors?
They would need to be very poor in order to consider replacing them. Has your mortgage been sent? In the event that it has you will need to inform them of the new lawyer and get the offer are re-sent. The conveyancer needs to be on the mortgage company panel to avoid added costs and delays. That should be your starting point. Our find a solicitor tool should help you find a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Seascale and Sellafield
Please set a few of specific advantages to instructing a high street conveyancer in Seascale and Sellafield
Home movers in Seascale and Sellafield prefer a local conveyancing practitioner so that they can pop into the lawyer’s offices if they have concerns, and to deliver documents without using the Royal Mail.
Some would allege that there exists a distinct advantage when opting for a conveyancing practitioner local to a premises you are planning to purchase, due to the knowledge of the region and potential local issues - nevertheless this is moot. Most conveyancers are now through email and could be any place in the world.