Is the fact that my conveyancer in Arundel is not on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of her conveyancing?
It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Arundel conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
My partner and I are buying a new build apartment in Arundel and my lawyer is telling me that she is duty bound to the mortgage company to reveal incentives from the developer. I am on a tight deadline to exchange contracts and I don't want to delay deal. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your property lawyer. A precondition to being on a bank panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
Completed the sale of my flat in Arundel last January but our buyer keeps e-mailing daily complaining that her conveyancer needs to hear from mine. What are the post completion sale formalities now that I have sold?
Following your house sale your lawyer should forward the transfer deeds and all additional paperwork to the purchaser's conveyancer. Depending on the transaction, your solicitor must also confirm that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been repaid to the buyers conveyancers. There is unlikely to be post completion tasks unique to conveyancing in Arundel.
I have Fifty Six years remaining on my lease and require a lease extension for my flat in Arundel. Conveyancing solicitors on the Chelsea Building Society panel can deal with such extensions correct?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 2/5/2025 the requirements read as follows :
Me and my partner are purchasing a property in Arundel. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we will need to deposit money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our money?
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 happen to be the sole beneficiary of my late father’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Arundel. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in April. I want to move. I understand that there is a CML six month 'rule', meaning my property ownership may be considered the same way as if I'd bought the property in April. Will no one buy the property for half a year?
The CML handbook instructs conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be caught by that. How sensible a view mortgage companies take of it, depend on the lender as this requirement is chiefly there to capture subsales or the quick reselling of properties.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Arundel. An unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. TSB have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is TSB your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions outlined in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for TSB. The CML Handbook contains minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to TSB where a lease does not meet these provisions. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not limited to Arundel.
It has been 4 months since my purchase conveyancing in Arundel completed. I have checked the Land Registry site which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £180,000. 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 asset 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.