Can you help? My Seaton solicitor is advising me that she is duty bound toapply for Seaton conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Lloydsapproved lawyer panel. Is my lawyer right?
Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a lender your conveyancing practitioner has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your property lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook conditions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Seaton conveyancing searches.
We are buying a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in Seaton who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a firm?
Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Aldermore . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Seaton.
We are getting the release of further monies on our home loan from Bank of Ireland as we wish to carry out alterations to our property in Seaton. Do we need to appoint a nearby Seaton solicitor on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Bank of Ireland do not ordinarily instruct a member of their conveyancing panel to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Bank of Ireland panel.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a Seaton conveyancer having made sure that they are on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Coventry BS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Coventry BS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your property lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Seaton postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Coventry BS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Seaton.
Lloyds have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a flat in Seaton has been accepted, now what?
Your property agent will need to know who your solicitors are (make sure the lawyers are on the lender’s approved list). Call up Lloyds or the financial adviser and complete any outstanding paperwork. Lloyds will appoint a valuer who will get in touch with the selling agent or owners to arrange a slot for the valuation to occur. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a fortnight to get a mortgage offer. Lloyds will issue the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Seaton.
I am downsizing from our home in Seaton and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being built on contaminated land. Any local conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the buyers used a nationwide conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Seaton. Having lived in Seaton for 4 years we know of no issue. Do we contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation that the buyers are looking for.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same ailment)
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Seaton is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Seaton are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Seaton you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Seaton may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.