We selected a Henlow based solicitor for our conveyancing in Henlow today. Upon checking the terms of engagement I noteI am liable for fees even if the sale doesn't happen. Should I ditch them and appoint an on-line conveyancing brokerage promising no-sale-no-fee conveyancing in Henlow?
Generally there is a compromise along the lines that if "No Sale No Fee" is available then the fee levels will tend to be be uplifted to neutralise those cases that abort. Also remember that such offerings rarely cover outlay e.g. Henlow conveyancing search charges.
What is the first thing I need to know regarding purchase conveyancing in Henlow?
You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Henlow and elsewhere in England and Wales is an adversarial process. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there is an abundance of opportunity for conflict between you and others involved in the house moving process. For instance, the seller, estate agent and sometimes the bank. Selecting a law firm for your conveyancing in Henlow an important selection as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONE party in the transaction whose interest is to act in your best interests and to keep you safe.
We are witnessing a worrying creep in the "blame" culture- someone has to be at fault for the process being so protracted. You your first instinct should be to trust your solicitor ahead of the other parties when it comes to the legal assignment of property.
My wife and I are purchasing a house in Henlow. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a solicitor? On completion day we have to send money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our monies?
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.
I am expecting a DIP from Coventry BS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Coventry BS recommend any Henlow solicitors on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Henlow solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Coventry BS through the process.
Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Henlow solicitor - who is on the TSB conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
TSB will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually TSB 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 Henlow 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.
Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our house can not be found. The lawyers who did the conveyancing in Henlow 4 years ago have long since closed. What are my options?
Nowadays there are copies made of almost everything, and your conveyancer will be aware exactly where to look for all the appropriate paperwork so you can purchase or sell your house without a hitch. Where copies can’t be located, your solicitor can put in place insurance or indemnities protecting you against future claims on your premises.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Henlow is the location of the property. Can you offer any guidance?
Flying freeholds in Henlow are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Henlow you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Henlow may ascertain 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.
Much to my surprise my conveyancing solicitor in Henlow has requested from me ID documents asserting that this forms part of his legal duty as a solicitor on the mortgage company Solicitor panel. This is news to me - can I refuse?
Due to Money Laundering Regulations your conveyancing lawyer is duty bound to confirm positively your identification when entering into a business relationship with you. It is a criminal offence if your lawyer not do this. If you do not provide ID early in the transaction the solicitor must refuse to act for you. It’s unlikely a lawyer will turn you away if you come to the first meeting without relevant ID but you will have to produce it at some point so you might as well bring it with you to the initial meeting so the lawyer can tick the ID verification box and start sorting out the conveyancing straight away. If you are getting a mortgage, your lawyer also has to check ID documents to satisfy the bank. This is not unique to conveyancing in Henlow