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Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the First Trust Bank list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.

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I need to swap lawyers as my lawyer is not on the First Trust Bank panel of conveyancing solicitors. How easy is it to change conveyancer?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
Our conveyancer has uncovered a problem with the lease for the apartment we are purchasing. The seller’s lawyers have put forward defective title insurance as a workaround. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor says that as he is on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or First Trust Bank?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and First Trust Bank are the client. A precondition to being on the First Trust Bank approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on First Trust Bank). The CML Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that First Trust Bank can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the First Trust Bank approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the First Trust Bank conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the First Trust Bank solicitor panel.
My grandfather passed away last year and as sole heir and executor was left the house. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to First Trust Bank , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this allowed?
If you intend to re-mortgage then First Trust Bank will insist on your using a conveyancer on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your First Trust Bank conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the First Trust Bank mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
I have a mortgage with First Trust Bank. My godfather has just retired and wants to pay off the mortgage left on the property. After First Trust Bank is paid, I want to transfer the property to my mother's name; How long will it roughly take? Do we need two separate solicitors on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel? I do not intend to live at the property once the First Trust Bank mortgage is discharged.
You will need a solicitor but they need not be on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. You will need a solicitor to draw up the transfer and to deal with the Land Registry formalities. The only thing you need to consider is that by selling at an undervalue so ask your lawyer about the implications. There could be an inheritance tax issue if you die within 7 years of this. There's no capital gains tax for you as it is your main residence.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a solicitor having checked that they are on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or Having digested plenty of mortgage guides,I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
First Trust Bank will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually First Trust Bank 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. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your 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 postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with First Trust Bank you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.
Sometime soon me and my wife are taking a long lease of a house in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon are about to begiven the go-ahead. My friendrecommended that we check that the conveyancer in Hendon is on the First Trust Bank solicitors panel. Is this really necessary?
It is not that case that all Hendon conveyancing firms are on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. 8 people a month use our search tool to search for a Hendon conveyancing practitioner on the on the First Trust Bank solicitors pane.