I am progressing with the sale of my home in Bath and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are switching law firm. The reason given is that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a big named mortgage company only deal with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Bath ?
Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 15 years.
Lenders blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are not going to have any impact on this.
I am thinking of refinancing my apartment in Bath, does my lawyer have to be on the Kent Reliance Conveyancing panel?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel, but Kent Reliance would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same transaction.
I am downsizing from our property in Bath and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being built on contaminated land. Any high street Bath conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers are using a nationwide conveyancing firm as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Bath. We have lived in Bath for many years we know that this is a non issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to seek confirmation that there is no issue.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)
I used Action Conveyancing a few years past for my conveyancing in Bath. Now, I need my files however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Bath of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
My company is looking to lease a unit on the high street. Can you recommend conveyancers offering no-move-no fees for commercial conveyancing in Bath for under 2k?
We are happy to recommend firms who host a wealth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Bath, including the disposal and purchase of businesses as well as simply property. Whether you are intending to buy or lease a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail unit or a whole business we can find you the right solicitor. As for the costs this will depend on the structure and complexity of the deal. Let us have your details or email so as to enable us to provide you with a detailed commercial conveyancing quote.
I am using a search engine for the term on line conveyancing in Bath it reveals numerous conveyancerslocally. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right property lawyer for my move?
The best method of choosing the right conveyancer is via personal recommendation, so ask friends and those you trust who have bought a property in Bath or a reputable estate agent or mortgage broker. Charges for conveyancing in Bath differ, so it's sensible to secure at least four estimates from varying types of solicitors. Dont forget to clarify that the costs are assured not to to be inflated.