I am acquiring property in Bournemouth. My property lawyer has never been on on the mortgage company solicitor list. Am I still permitted to continue with my Bournemouth conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the bank panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?
You have a number of choices open to you here
- Carry on with your chosen Bournemouth solicitor but your bank will undoubtedly appoint a property lawyer on their approved list. The net result is additional cost together with likely interruption.
- Get a fresh lawyer to act in the purchase, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
- Convince your lawyer to apply to join the bank panel
I am expecting a DIP from Clydesdale 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 Clydesdale recommend any Bournemouth solicitors on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Bournemouth solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Clydesdale through the process.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Bournemouth. I have a mortgage agreed with Leeds Building Society. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Leeds Building Society, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel.
At last I have had an offer on a flat in Bournemouth accepted, but there is a chain. The sellers have placed an offer on a property, but it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have instructed a high street conveyancing solicitor in Bournemouth. What do I do now? When do I get the mortgage application with UBS going?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses prematurely (mortgage application is approx £1k, then valuation, Bournemouth conveyancing search fees, etc). The first thing to do is check that your solicitor is on the UBS approved list. Concerning the subsequent phase this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, attraction to this property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market some home buyers would apply for a home loan with UBS and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they ask their solicitor to press on with the conveyancing in Bournemouth.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Bournemouth?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Bournemouth. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £235,500 and found one near me in Bournemouth I like with a park and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Bournemouth in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
If you require a mortgage that many years may be problematic. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this.
Am I right to be wary by third parties that I am dealing with are recommending an internet conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Bournemouth conveyancing firm?
As is the case with lots of professional services, often recommendations from relatives can be very helpful. Nevertheless there are many players in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders might all recommend conveyancers to instruct. On occasion the conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but sometimes there exists a commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You are at liberty to choose your own lawyer. Don't forget that the majority of banks specify a panel list of lawyers you are obliged to use for the lender aspect of your home move.
Why can I not complete our conveyancing in Bournemouth on Easter Monday?
Because on completion the funds needs to be transferred electronically between the banks of the purchaser and owner’s property lawyer and currently this can only occur on a working day. It is not possible to complete on a weekend either.