Me and my fiance are planning to acquire a 2 bedroom flat in Woodstock with a mortgage. We like our Woodstock conveyancer, however the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel conveyancing practices or keep our Woodstock solicitor as well as pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?
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 bank’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 Woodstock conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
When reviewing moneysavingexpert.com for a high-quality solicitor in Woodstock, most advise that I must look for a CQS accredited solicitor. Can you explain what CQS is?
The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised kitemark for legal experts in home moving process, trusted by some of the UK's major mortgage companies. Four years ago the Conveyancing Quality Scheme was officially recognised by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The scheme does not cover licenced conveyancers. Woodstock is one of the numerous areas in England and Wales where there are CQS solicitors.
Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Woodstock in advance of retaining lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the house. The surveyor has said that some mortgage companies will refuse to give a mortgage on such a property.
It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different requirements from Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Woodstock. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
Are there any apps to help search for a Woodstock solicitor on the Nationwide Building Society conveyancing panel? I am a keen cyclist and am willing to travel upto 25miles to meet the lawyer.
You can use the tool on this website. Please select a mortgage company and your location and you will see a number of Woodstock conveyancing lawyers based on proximity. We have detailed some Woodstock conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can telephone them to check whether they are on the Nationwide Building Society member panel
Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold flat in Woodstock. Conveyancing and Barclays mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing solicitor in Woodstock who previously acted has now retired. Do I pay?
First make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Woodstock conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.
Woodstock Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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How many years remain on the lease? Make sure you enquire if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For instance it is very common in Woodstock leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Woodstock. If you like the flatin Woodstock however your dog is not allowed to make the move with you then you have a very difficult decision. Its a good idea to find out as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they can either make living at the property much simpler or problematic. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters such as the tidiness of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours if they are happy with their management. In conclusion, be sure you know the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the relevant party and specifically what you get for your money.
What are my options where I am not happy with the conveyancer who handled my conveyancing in Woodstock?
We live in an imperfect world, and unfortunately sometimes things do go wrong. That being said there is recourse if you were not happy with your conveyancing in Woodstock. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a conveyancer to their regulator. If things still aren’t sorted out you may consider enlisting the help of the Legal Ombudsman.