My husband and I are buying a 1 bedroom flat in Eltham with a mortgage. We have a Eltham solicitor, but the bank says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel solicitors or keep our Eltham property lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel firms to act for them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer 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. A further alternative is for your Eltham conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
There are plenty of conveyancing solicitors in Eltham but how do I know who I should use?
Do not opt for the cheapest Eltham conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.
Can I be sure that the Eltham conveyancing solicitor on the HSBC panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Eltham getting recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advise that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing.
I've digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Eltham 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 Eltham 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.
Should commercial conveyancing searches disclose proposed roadworks that may impact a commercial premises in Eltham?
Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Eltham will conduct a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers expend in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Eltham. The report sets out definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Eltham.
For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Eltham it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately can cause delays to Eltham commercial conveyancing deals as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Eltham.
The deeds to our home are lost. The lawyers who did the conveyancing in Eltham 10 years ago are no longer around. What are my options?
As long as you have a registered title the information relating to your proprietorship will be evidenced by HMLR with a Title Number. It is possible to carry out a search at the Land Registry, locate your property and order current copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. If the property is Leasehold then the Land Registry will usually retain a certified duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be ordered for a small fee.
How does conveyancing in Eltham differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Eltham approach us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because developers in Eltham tend to purchase 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Eltham or who has acted in the same development.
I was recommended by a number of estate agents in Eltham to find a conveyancer using your seach tool. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your lawyers over and above alternative conveyancing organisations?
We don’t make any commission for directing people in our direction. We found it would be just too difficult a fee because a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.