My husband and I are looking to acquire a property in Wootton and are in fact using a Wootton conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Lloyds TSB Bank have this morning contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Wootton lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Is this a problem?

When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is conventional for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Wootton lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.

I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and must be out of my rented flat in Wootton by 30/5/2024. Conveyancing for my house purchase is progressing. How realistic is it to complete in 4 weeks as don't want to have to find short term accommodation?

It is unwise to give notice for your lease until your lawyer suggests that you should. If you have not previously done so, speak to your conveyancer and urge them to they chase the sellers lawyers, try to an agreed time frame that everyone will look to achieve

My uncle advised me that in purchasing a property in Wootton there may be a number of restrictions prohibiting external alterations to the property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Wootton which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Wootton should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

Is there a list of RBS panel conveyancers in Wootton on the Building Society Association’s Website?

No. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few mortgage companies make their panel listings open the public on the web. If you are seeking to appoint a Wootton lawyer on the RBS please use our tool.

The mortgage over my property is with Virgin Money for my property in Wootton. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Virgin Money?

Virgin Money must be informed of your intention prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Virgin Money’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Virgin Money will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Virgin Money directly. You need not do this via a Virgin Money conveyancing panel solicitor.

five months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in Wootton completed. I have checked the Land Registry site which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £160,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the residence from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I am buying a new build apartment in Wootton. 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.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Wootton

Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease.