I am one month into the sale of my home in Dereham and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the buyers are appointing a new law firm. The excuse is that the lender will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a major mortgage company only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Dereham ?
Banks have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the last few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.
Banks blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise 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.
Having sold my house in Dereham last July but our buyer keeps Skype messaging every few hours to say his conveyancer is waiting to hear from mylawyer. What should have happened following completion?
After completion of your disposal your conveyancer is committed to forward the transfer documentation and all of the paperwork to the purchaser's solicitors. Depending on the transaction, your solicitor should also evidence that the mortgage has been redeemed to the purchasers solicitors. There are no post completion formalities unique to conveyancing in Dereham.
I need some fast conveyancing in Dereham as I have pressure to complete inside 2 weeks. Luckily I do not require a mortgage. Is it possible to decline from having conveyancing searches to save money and time?
As you are not getting a home loan you have the choice not to have searches conducted although no lawyer would recommend that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Dereham the following are examples of issues that can crop up and adversely impact the marketability of the property: Refused Planning Applications, Outstanding Fees, Outstanding Grants, Unadopted Roads,...
Should I be suspicious by brokers that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a nationwide conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Dereham conveyancing practice?
As with many professional services, often input from family and friends can be extremely useful or valuable. But there are numerous people with a keen interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders may put forward conveyancers to choose. Sometimes these conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but sometimes there exists a financial incentive behind the recommendation. You have the right to appoint your preferred lawyer. You need to be aware that some banks have an approved list of law firms you must use for the lender related work in your home move.
What makes a Dereham lease unmortgageable?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Dereham. Most leases are drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain clauses are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:
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A duty to insure the building A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the building
You could have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Accord Mortgages Ltd, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and Alliance & Leicester all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to pull out.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Dereham - A selection of Queries before buying
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Make sure you investigate if the the lease contains any adverse restrictions in the lease. For instance some leases prohibit pets being permitted in certain buildings in Dereham. If you like the flatin Dereham yet your cat can’t move with you then you have a very difficult decision. Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability? How many years remain on the lease?
I today found out that one of the directors of the law firm handling the purchase conveyancing in Dereham is an uncle of the owners that we are buying from. Is this acceptable?
On the basis that no conflict arises this is permitted. If you are obtaining mortgage finance then the mortgage company may have a say as many lenders have specific requirements on this. For example for Bradford & Bingley as of 15/8/2025, the requirements read as follows :