Is the fact that my solicitor in Clapton is not identified on my bank's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should contact the Clapton conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.
In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Clapton? What am I being asked for?
You are right in the requirement set out by your solicitor has nothing to do with conveyancing in Clapton. However these days you can not complete any conveyancing transaction if you have not submitting evidence of your identity. This usually takes the form of a either your passport or driving licence as well as a council tax bill. Remember if you are supplying your driving licence as proof of identification it needs to be both the paper part and photo card part, one is not sufficient without the other.
Evidence of your origin of funds is necessary under Money Laundering Regulations. Please do not be offended when you are asked to produce this as your conveyancing solicitor will need to have this information on file. Your Clapton conveyancing solicitor will need to see evidence of proof of funds prior to accepting any monies from you into their client account and they should also ask further queries regarding the source of funds.
Me and my partner are buying a flat in Clapton. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? On the day of competition we will need to send funds into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
How can we tell if a Clapton conveyancing solicitor on the TSB panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Clapton 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 advertising the lowest fees. We would always advise that you speak with the solicitor carrying out your transaction.
I can not work out if my lender obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Clapton bank branch on a couple of occasions and was told it does not affect the mortgage offer and they would lend. My Clapton conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- called and was told they refuse to lend in accordance with their specific requirements. I have no idea who is right.
As long as the solicitor is on the lender panel, she or he must comply with the CML Handbook requirements for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.
We are planning on selling our property in Clapton and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. A high street Clapton conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers are using a web based conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Clapton. Having lived in Clapton for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we contact our local Authority to seek confirmation that the buyers are looking for.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)
I decided to have a survey carried out on a property in Clapton before instructing lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor advised that some lenders will not issue a mortgage on a flying freehold home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different requirements from Halifax. If you contact us we can check with the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Clapton. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Clapton especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Clapton.
I am looking for a conveyancing lawyer in Clapton for my sale. Is it possible to review a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?
One may search for presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded call for training purposes.