I am buying residence in Chiswick. My property lawyer is not listed on the mortgage company conveyancing list. Am I still permitted to retain my Chiswick conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the bank approved list?
Various options include
- Complete the purchase with your existing Chiswick solicitor but your mortgage company will undoubtedly retain a conveyancer from their approved panel. This will result in additional charges and potential interruption.
- Choose a fresh lawyer to act in the purchase, obviously checking they are on the lender conveyancing panel.
- Appeal to your solicitor to apply to join the bank panel
My god-son is buying a new build apartment in Chiswick with a mortgage from Lloyds. His lawyer has said that there is a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. What is this document - I have never come across this before?
The form is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Lloyds conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Lloyds conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.
Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Virgin Money. Chiswick conveyancing practitioners have been instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Virgin Money?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Virgin Money done the valuation? Have you informed Virgin Money as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Chiswick. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Barclays be concerned?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Barclays your lawyer must follow the conveyancing requirements contained in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Barclays. The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Barclays where a lease does not comply with these specifications. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to Chiswick.
Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Chiswick. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?
Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.
I have recentlybeen informed that Wolstenholmes have closed. They conducted my conveyancing in Chiswick for a purchase of a leasehold flat 9 months ago. How can I establish that my home is in my name in the name of the former proprietor?
The easiest way to check if the premises is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Chiswick conveyancing specialists.
I have been on the look out for a flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Chiswick I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, however it's only got 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Chiswick for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?
If you require a home loan that many years may be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.
In my capacity as executor for the estate of my grandmother I am disposing of a house in Newport but I am based in Chiswick. My solicitor (approximately 250 miles from merequires that I execute a stat dec ahead of the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Chiswick to witness and place their company stamp on the document?
Technically speaking you are not likely to be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are located in Chiswick