What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Ashford Kent? Why is this being asked of me?
To satisfy the Money Laundering Regulations any Ashford Kent conveyancing firm will require evidence of your identity in all conveyancing transactions. This is usually satisfied by provision of a passport and an original bank statement or utility account showing where you reside.
Under Money Laundering Regulations, property lawyers are duty bound to ascertain not just the identity of conveyancing clients but also the origin of the money that they receive in respect of any matter. An unwillingness to disclose this will result in your solicitor cancelling their retainer with you, as clearly this will cause a conflict between the set Regulations and a refusal to disclose.
Your property lawyers are duty bound to make a disclosure to the appropriate authorities should they believe that any monies received by them may contravene the Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules.
We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to appoint their panel solicitor as I would prefer to appoint a high street conveyancing solicitor in Ashford Kent?
Do check but the the likelihood is that appoint one of their panel solicitors where you take up the "fee-free" deal. Contact the bank to check if they make available a monetary alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as a further option in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in Ashford Kent.
Have just purchased a repossessed house at auction in Ashford Kent. Conveyancing is necessary. What happens now?
Now that you are exchanged you will need to retain a conveyancing lawyer quickly as you are faced with a pending deadline in which to complete the property. An auction property should have a bespoke legal set of papers. This should include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. If you have purchased leasehold property the legal pack may provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation pertinent to leasehold premises. You need to give this to the solicitor working for you at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that that you have the requisite funding in order to complete on the date specified in the contract.
We expect to receive a DIP from UBS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do UBS recommend any Ashford Kent solicitors on the UBS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Ashford Kent solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the UBS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and UBS through the process.
My wife and I are in the process of viewing flats in Ashford Kent and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it best to have my property lawyer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a mortgage with HSBC.
It would be sensible to commence your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the EA. Given that you are taking out a mortgage with HSBC, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the HSBC conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.
Do I need to take out insurance to protect me from financial exposure to chancel repairs when purchasing a property in Ashford Kent?
Unless a previous purchase of the property completed after 12 October 2013 you may assume that conveyancing practitioners delivering conveyancing in Ashford Kent to remain recommending a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
My husband and I are four weeks into a residential purchase having been recommend to a firm by the selling agent to perform conveyancing in Ashford Kent. I am am starting to be frustrated with the level of service. Could you help me find new conveyancers?
A solicitor would need to be really poor to suggest changing them. Has the mortgage offer been sent? In the event that it has you will need to make them aware of the new contact details and get the offer are re-sent. Your new solicitor ideally should be on the banks approved list to avoid escalating fees and frustration. That should be your first question of the new solicitors. The search tool should assist you in finding a lender approved lawyer for your conveyancing in Ashford Kent
What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Ashford Kent conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?
When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ashford Kent conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you talk with two or three firms including non Ashford Kent conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:
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How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation? If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
Leasehold Conveyancing in Ashford Kent - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing
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Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments? This information is useful as a) areas may cause problems for the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will want to know about it