My husband and I are hoping to purchase a 2 bedroom flat in Winnersh with a mortgage. We have a Winnersh lawyer, but the mortgage company advise she’s not on their "panel". It appears that we have little option but to instruct one of the bank panel solicitors or retain our Winnersh conveyancing practitioner as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to represent them. We feel that this is inequitable; can we not require that the bank use our Winnersh solicitor ?
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 lender’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 Winnersh conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
Would the conveyancing solicitors listed on your site execute attended exchange conveyancing in Winnersh?
There are a few conveyancing specialists who can conduct personalised exchanges. You should call us to obtain a fee calculation and details as to dates.
The Winnersh conveyancing lawyers that I recently instructed on my purchase in Winnersh have suddenly closed. I chose them because I needed a solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel and my family Winnersh lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £195 for searches. What are my options?
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 reasons beyond your control. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Yorkshire BS 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 solicitors should be in a position to help.
My relative suggested that where I am buying in Winnersh I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
A search of this type is occasionally included in the estimate for your Winnersh conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and detailing significant information about Winnersh around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Winnersh.
I am a couple of weeks into a residential purchase having been directed to a firm by the high street agent to handle our conveyancing in Winnersh. We are not happy. Can you help me find new solicitors?
They would have to be really bad to suggest changing them. Has your mortgage offer been generated? In the event that it has you will need to advise them of the new conveyancer and ensure the mortgage documents are re-sent. Your new solicitor ideally should be on the lenders approved list to avoid escalating expenses and complications. That should be your first question of the new lawyers. The find a solicitor tool should help you find a lender approved lawyer for your home move in Winnersh