I am 4 weeks into the sale of my home in Bourton on the Water and the estate agent has just telephoned to say that the purchasers are changing their law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major mortgage company only work with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Bourton on the Water ?
Banks have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 25 years.
Lenders justify this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. 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 are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.
We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to appoint their panel solicitor as I would much rather appoint a Bourton on the Water based conveyancing firm?
Do check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel solicitors where you take up the "fee-free" deal. Contact the lender and ask if they allow a cash alternative. Some banks have previously offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case that money can go towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor in Bourton on the Water.
My colleague advised me that where I am buying in Bourton on the Water I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Bourton on the Water conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about Bourton on the Water around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Bourton on the Water.
I used Stirling Law several years past for my conveyancing in Bourton on the Water. Now, I need the 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 Bourton on the Water 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.
Am I better off to appoint a Bourton on the Water conveyancing practitioner in close proximity to the house I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can conduct the legal formalities however her office is 300kilometers drive away.
The primary upside of using a high street Bourton on the Water conveyancing practice is that you can attend the office to sign documents, deliver your identification documents and pester them if necessary. They will also have local intelligence which is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who used your friend and the majority were content that must surpass using an unknown Bourton on the Water conveyancing lawyer just because they are round the corner.
I pay a service charge for my flat in Bourton on the Water. As a result of personal circumstances I fell into arrears with remittance. The management company agreed a payment schedule but there remains in the region of £1750 remaining to be paid.
I want to dispose of the property and I am nervous that this may jeopardize the sale if I have to settle the arrears in advance. I'd like to sell up and then repay the arrears from the proceeds - is this viable?
It would be wise to speak with the lawyer handling your Bourton on the Water conveyancing but it may be possible to arrange for the debt to be passed to the purchasers. The purchase price they pay would be reduced to reflect the amount of debt they take on. They would then discharge the outstanding monies after completion of the sale.