Is the fact that my conveyancer in Clerkenwell is not identified on my lender's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of her work?
It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (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 Clerkenwell conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.
At what point does exchange of contracts occur in sale conveyancing in Clerkenwell and am I required to attend the solicitors branch?
If you are local to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Clerkenwell you are welcome to attend to sign contracts. That being said, the law practices we work with offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and give just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you electronically. The signing of the purchase agreement is not when everything is set in stone. A signed contract is necessary for the firm to officially exchange at the appropriate time, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The exchange process is is usually a five minute process, although where a long "chain" is in the mix, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Clerkenwell)to be in the office at the appropriate time.
This question may be naive but I am unexperienced as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Clerkenwell. Do I receive the keys to the property on completion from my lawyer? If so, I will use a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Clerkenwell?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the purchase money to the seller's lawyers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you should be invited to collect the keys from the Estate Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens early afternoon.
I have paid off my mortgage with Nottingham. I assume I don't need a Clerkenwell conveyancing practitioner on the Nottingham panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Nottingham mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Nottingham mortgage from the register. Nottingham, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Nottingham has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Nottingham has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Clerkenwell. My financial adviser suggested a solicitor. I paid an advanced payment of £150. A few days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me to say that they were not on the UBS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the UBS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
How does conveyancing in Clerkenwell differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Clerkenwell contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is built. This is because builders in Clerkenwell typically buy the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Clerkenwell or who has acted in the same development.
I have been sourcing a conveyancing lawyer in Clerkenwell for my home move. Can I review a firm’s record with the legal regulator?
Members of the public can search for documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes monitor call for training purposes.
My folks cant seem to find their Clerkenwell property on the HM Land Registry online search facility. They have a vague recollection 50 years ago when they bought the house there were complications with the address not being recognised in some systems.
Almost all properties in Clerkenwell should appear. Have you attempted a search to simply the postcode. Usually it will mention all the properties within the postcode. Where registered it will be there with a title number. If they bought 50 years ago it's conceivable it may be unregistered. The address could still be revealed but with the title number identified as 'na'. In this scenario you will need to track down the original title deeds which could be with your parent’s mortgage company.