We are buying a newly constructed apartment in Epsom and my lawyer is informing me that she is duty bound to the lender to disclose incentives from the seller. The Estate Agents are hassling me to exchange contracts and my preference is not to prolong deal. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your property lawyer. A precondition to being on a lender panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
Finally the sale completed on my house in Epsom last October yet the purchaser is Skype messaging me to moan that their solicitor is waiting to hear from mysolicitor. What should have happened now that I have sold?
After completion of your sale your conveyancer is obliged to deliver the transfer deeds and all additional paperwork to the buyer’s solicitors. Depending on the transaction, your conveyancer should also send confirmation that the mortgage has been paid off to the purchasers solicitors. There is unlikely to be post completion tasks specific conveyancing in Epsom.
I have Fifty Six years left on my lease and require a lease extension for my apartment in Epsom. Conveyancing solicitors on the Accord Mortgages panel can deal with such extensions correct?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are getting a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 3/11/2025 the requirements read as follows :
is it true that all Epsom solicitor practices on the Aldermore conveyancing panel are governed by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Aldermore approved list of solicitors they would need to be governed by the SRA. The majority of mortgage companies do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in such a situation the firms would be governed by the CLC.
We previously appointed conveyancing lawyers located in Epsom on the Coventry BS solicitor approved list. They have just invoiced me a further sum for dealing with the Coventry BS mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Coventry BS?
Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your solicitor is entitled to levy a fee for this. This charge is not dictated by Coventry BS but by your Epsom conveyancing practitioner. Numerous firms on the Coventry BS panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of firms incorporate it on their overall fee.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. Epsom conveyancing practitioners were instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Santander?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Santander conducted the valuation? Have you advised Santander as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Santander conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
How does conveyancing in Epsom differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Epsom contact us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because builders in Epsom tend to purchase the site, 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 Epsom or who has acted in the same development.
I bought a flat in Epsom last 3/9/2024 and to date it is still not recorded with HMLR. It was part of a development site and my conveyancing practitioner told me that it may take twelve months to register. I have called HMLR directly and they have informed me the initial application was cancelled due to questions not being addressed in time. Should I be concerned?
Call your lawyer - if you are not getting sensible responses, look up their firm’s complaints process and escalate your problem to a Complaints Manager. Registrations for Epsom conveyancing are not known to be particularly slow.