Much to our surprise we have been advised by our mortgage broker that my Astwood Bank solicitor is not on the mortgage company Solicitor panel. What can I do to be sure if this is correct?
You need to call your Astwood Bank lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you of the situation. Where they are not on the panel they may be able to suggest a Astwood Bank conveyancing practice that is on the approved list of lawyers for your bank.
I am soon to exchange on the purchase of a house in Astwood Bank but as a result of wreckage from the recent storms I have was able negotiate recompense from the vendor of £3k in the form of a reduction in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of a side agreement however Principality are not allowing this. Should they have been notified?
Any lawyer that is on a Principality approved list is duty bound to inform Principality of any variations to the sale price. If you were to refuse your solicitor to disclose the reduction to Principality then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Principality and you would have to appoint a new lawyer for your conveyancing in Astwood Bank.
When can the exchange of contracts happen for purchase conveyancing in Astwood Bank and do I need to attend the solicitors office?
If you are near to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Astwood Bank you are invited in to sign contracts. That being said, the law practices we recommend provide a nationwide conveyancing service and give as equally detailed and professional a job for you when communicating with you electronically. The executing of the sale agreement is not the important part. Signing on the dotted line is just a prerequisite for the solicitor to officially exchange when the time is right, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The exchange process is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a lengthy "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Astwood Bank)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.
I opted to have a survey completed on a house in Astwood Bank prior to instructing solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor advised that some banks will not issue a mortgage on a flying freehold property.
It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different instructions from Birmingham Midshires. If you contact us we can investigate further via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Astwood Bank. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
I am looking for a conveyancing practitioner in Astwood Bank for my house move. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?
You may review presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may recorded call for training reasons.
Partway through the sale of a leasehold flat in Astwood Bank. Conveyancing is fine but we are being charged an extortionate amount from the managing agents. To date we have issued a cheque for £237 for a leasehold management pack and then a further £134.40 for answers to questions supplied by the buyers property lawyer.
Your solicitor will not have any say over the extent of the fee for this information but the typical fee for the information for Astwood Bank leasehold property is £350. When it comes to Astwood Bank conveyancing transactions it is conventional for the owner to cover the costs. The landlord or their agents are not duty bound to address these questions although many will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices out of proportion to the work involved. Regretfully there is no law that mandates fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any statutory time limit by which they are duty bound to supply answers.