Me and my fiance are purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in Consett with a mortgage. We like our Consett conveyancer, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have little option but to instruct one of the lender panel solicitors or continue with our Consett conveyancer as well as pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your Consett conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
My fiancee and I are buying our first property. Our lawyer has messagedto enquire if we wish to purchase supplemental conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's appropriate for conveyancing in Consett
The range of Consett conveyancing searches depends primarily on the property, the location, the likelihood of any of these risks, your knowledge of the locality and risks, your overall appetite to risk. What matters is that you adequately understand what information each search could supply. You may then make a decision if you consider that you need that search. Should you be unclear, ask the conveyancer to explain.
We see that you have a search directory listing law firms on the Principality conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a commission if I retain them for our conveyancing in Consett?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Principality conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Consett.
This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as a first time buyer of a two bedroom flat in Consett. Do I collect the keys to the house on completion from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will instruct a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Consett?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the completion advance to the vendor’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you will be called to receive the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.
I have paid off my mortgage with Leeds Building Society. I assume I don't need a Consett conveyancing practitioner on the Leeds Building Society panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Leeds Building Society 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 Leeds Building Society mortgage from the register. Leeds Building Society, 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 Leeds Building Society has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Leeds Building Society has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I have instructed a Consett conveyancer having made sure that they are on the HSBC conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
HSBC will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually HSBC will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Consett postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with HSBC, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Consett.
I decided to have a survey done on a house in Consett before instructing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the house. The surveyor has said that some lenders may not grant a mortgage on such a property.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Consett. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Consett to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.
I am a sole trader planning to take an assignment of a lease of an office on the high street. Can you recommend lawyers offering fixed fees for commercial conveyancing in Consett for below 2k?
We can recommend firms who have an in-depth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Consett, including the sale and acquisition of businesses as well as simply premises. If you are looking to buy or lease a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a whole business we will find you the right solicitor. Regarding the costs this will depend on the structure and nuances of the proposed transaction. Let us have your contact information or phone us so that we may provide you with comprehensive commercial conveyancing calculation.