My fiance and I are planning to buy a flat in Blakelaw and are in fact using a Blakelaw conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our property lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Yorkshire Building Society have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our Blakelaw solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?
If you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is normal for the purchasers' lawyers to also represent the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Blakelaw solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
My aunt passed away last year and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Blakelaw. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Kent Reliance, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?
If you intend to refinance then Kent Reliance will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Kent Reliance conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Kent Reliance mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
Please help - my lawyer says that breach of easement insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Blakelaw?
The appropriate level of breach of easement indemnity insurance depends on your lender. It would differ for example between HSBC Bank and Chelsea Building Society. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to members of the public take out such insurances.
Can I be sure that the Blakelaw conveyancing solicitor on the Bank of Ireland panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Blakelaw seeking recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always recommend that you speak with the lawyer handling your transaction.
I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Clydesdale are being a right pain. The Blakelaw solicitor who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Clydesdale are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Clydesdale have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Clydesdale have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Clydesdale may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
I have been on the look out for a flat up to £305k and identified one close by in Blakelaw I like with open areas and railway links nearby, however it only has 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Blakelaw in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?
Should you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.
I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for purchase conveyancing in Blakelaw. I have discover a web site which appears to be the ideal offering If it is possible to get all this stuff done via email that would be preferable. Do I need to be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
I am short of a 10% deposit on my apartment purchase in Blakelaw , but I still want to exchange. Do I have options?
You can accept a lower deposit. Many vendors will agree to a lesser deposit or even no deposit for a first time buyer or 100% mortgage. Be aware though that if you fail to complete you will still need to hand over a minimum of 10% of the purchase price regardless of how much deposit was agreed.
You can also agree a simultaneous exchange and completion as no deposit is required for this however neither party will be tied in until completion actually takes place and it can be risky if sellers change their mind at the last moment