Me and my wife are purchasing a leasehold flat in Dorset. My Solicitor is not listed on the bank approved panel. Can I still continue with my Dorset conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the mortgage company approved list?
One will need to appoint a lawyer to complete the formalities if you need a loan to purchase your home. They will carry out all the essential legal checks on the property, ensuring that you’re registered as proprietor and ensure that all the required mortgage documentation is dealt with. One could select a Dorset solicitor of your choice. Nevertheless, if the solicitor appointed is not a member of the bank approved list supplemental costs will arise as separate legal representation will be required by them. Bank panel applications can be submitted, so provided your conveyancer has not historically applied for membership they should take the chance to apply.
I am purchasing a property without a mortgage in Dorset. I have resided for the last 15 years in Dorset. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. As I have knowledge of the road and vicinity very well should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?
If you not getting a mortgage, then almost all of the Dorset conveyancing searches are optional. Your lawyer will ’encourage you, no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but she has a professional duty to take that path of guidance. One thing to consider; if you are likely to dispose of the house in the future, it may be of relevance to your future purchaser what the searches disclose. On occasion properties with apparent issues can still show up unpredicted search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Dorset will provide you some constructive advice here.
The mortgage over my property is with TSB for my property in Dorset. Conveyancing was finalised months ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform TSB?
You must advise TSB prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of TSB’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact TSB directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a TSB conveyancing panel solicitor.
I recently had an offer agreed on a house in Dorset. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an on account payment of £200. Soon after, the conveyancer contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the HSBC 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 HSBC 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.
I've read lots of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Dorset solicitor - who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Skipton will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Skipton 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. You may wish to consider appointing your own Dorset surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
I'm purchasing my first flat in Dorset benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not inform my lawyer about the side-deal as it could put at risk my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
I need to find a conveyancing solicitor for leasehold conveyancing in Dorset. I happened to land on a site which appears to be the ideal solution If it is possible to get all the legals done via phone that would be ideal. Should I be wary? What should out be looking out for?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
My aunt purchased her house in Dorset eight years ago. She has been married, widowed and has recently remarried. She intends to sell the house next moths. I believe she will just be requested to provide a copy of her marriage papers to the lawyer however she is worried it will hold up the conveyancing. Should she appoint a property lawyer to update the land title documents for the property?
The is no need to update the title for the property providing you have the evidence needed to show how the change of name resulted.
Any purchaser’s solicitor will check the land registry entries and ask for evidence to prove the change of name for example marriage certificates.