At what point can the exchange of contracts occur in domestic conveyancing in Blackfriars and am I required to be at the solicitors office?
Where you are local to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Blackfriars you are welcome to attend to sign the paperwork. However, the law practices we recommend offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you by post or email. The executing of the purchase agreement is not when everything is set in stone. Signing on the dotted line is just a prerequisite for the conveyancer to exchange contracts when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The exchange process is is usually a five minute process, although where a long "chain" is involved, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Blackfriars)to be in the office at the appropriate time.
My property lawyer in Blackfriars has never been on on the The Mortgage Works Approved Panel. Is it possible for me to continue with my family solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the The Mortgage Works list of approved lawyers?
The limited options available to you here include:
- Complete the purchase with your preferred Blackfriars solicitors but The Mortgage Works will need to use a lawyer on their panel. This will inevitably rack up the total legal fees as well as cause delays.
- Choose a new practitioner to to deal with the conveyancing, obviously checking they are on the The Mortgage Works panel
The deeds to our property can not be found. The lawyers who dealt with the conveyancing in Blackfriars 5 years ago have long since closed. Will I be able to sell the house?
As long as you have a registered title the details of your ownership will be evidenced by HMLR with a Title Number. It is possible to carry out a search at the Land Registry, locate your house and secure up to date copies of the Registered Entries for less than a fiver. If the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will usually retain a certified duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be retrieved for £20 inclusive of VAT.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Blackfriars is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can impart?
Flying freeholds in Blackfriars are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Blackfriars you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Blackfriars may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.
I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Blackfriars for my sale. Can I see a firm’s record with the legal regulator?
Anyone may find published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find information Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could monitor telephone calls for training requirements.
I am an executor of my recently deceased mother’s Will, with a property in Blackfriars which is to be sold. The house is unregistered at the Land Registry and I'm told that some EAs will insist that it is completed before they'll proceed. What's the mechanism for this?
In the circumstances you refer to it seems advisable to seek to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. HMLR’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and certified copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.
