My Ebbw Vale conveyancer has discovered a discrepancy between the information in the valuation survey and what is revealed within the title deeds. My lawyer informs me that he is duty bound to ensure that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my solicitor’s course or action appropriate?
Your lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.
I have a decision in principle. The bank mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to appoint their panel conveyancer as I would prefer to use a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Ebbw Vale?
Do check but the the likelihood is that give you one of their panel lawyers where you want the "fee-free" incentive. Speak to the mortgage company to check if they allow a cash alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case you could put that amount towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor near Ebbw Vale.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Ebbw Vale. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Lloyds have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Lloyds your lawyer must follow the formal requirements contained in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Lloyds. The CML Handbook contains minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and property lawyers are required to report to Lloyds where a lease fails to satisfy these specifications. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not limited to Ebbw Vale.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Ebbw Vale. I have a mortgage agreed with Leeds Building Society. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Leeds Building Society, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Ebbw Vale. My financial adviser suggested a property lawyer. I paid an advanced payment of £150. A few days later, the conveyancing practitioner contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Co-operative 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 Co-operative 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.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in last month in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Ebbw Vale is the location of the property. Can you offer any guidance?
Flying freeholds in Ebbw Vale are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Ebbw Vale you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Ebbw Vale may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
Given that I am about to part with £400,000 on a property in Ebbw Vale I wish to talk to a conveyancer about mytransaction before appointing the firm. Can this be arranged?
This is something that we encourage - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the conveyancer who will be conducting your property ownership legalities in Ebbw Vale.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a file reference. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are provided with for residential conveyancing in Ebbw Vale should be the amount on the final invoice that you end up paying.
Am I best advised to use a Ebbw Vale conveyancing lawyer based in the area that I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can handle the legal formalities but they are based over three hundred miles drive away.
The benefit of a local Ebbw Vale conveyancing firm is that you can pop in to sign documents, deliver your identification documents and pester them if necessary. They will also have local knowledge which is a bonus. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have used your friend and on the whole were content that must outweigh using an unknown Ebbw Vale conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being round the corner.