Me and my fiance are buying a 2 bedroom apartment in Frognal with a mortgage. We wish to retain our Frognal lawyer, but the lender advise she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel firms or keep our Frognal conveyancing practitioner and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We consider that this is unjust; 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 Frognal conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
It is 10 years ago since I purchased my property in Frognal. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been retained on the sale but I am unable to find my title deeds. Is this a problem?
Don’t worry too much. First the deeds may be retained by the mortgage company or they could still be with the solicitor who acted in the purchase. Secondly in most cases the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Frognal relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.
I am helping my aunt sell her property in Frognal. Will the solicitor order the energy performance certificate or it is for me to coordinate?
After the demise of HIPs, energy performance certificates was kept a compulsory component of moving property. An energy assessment needs to be to hand in advance of the property being put on the market. It is not a task that lawyers normally organise. If you are using a Frognal conveyancing lawyer they might be willing to arrange energy performance certificates due to their relationships with reputable Frognal assessors
My conveyancer has informed me that absentee landlord insurance is required on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Frognal conveyancing?
The right level of absentee landlord indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between Accord Mortgages Ltd and The Mortgage Works. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to members of the public take out such insurances.
We were going to get a OIP from Skipton this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Skipton recommend any Frognal solicitors on the Skipton conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Frognal solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Skipton conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Skipton through the process.
I know that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to have this when buying a property in Frognal? or I am told that there is a law dating back centuries that means some homeowners living in a parish church boundary may be liable to contribute towards maintenance to the chancel within the church. Is this relevant for conveyancing in Frognal?
Unless a previous acquisition of the premises completed after 12 October 2013 you could assume that conveyancing practitioners carrying out conveyancing in Frognal to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and found one near me in Frognal I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, however it only has 52 years on the lease. There is not much else in Frognal for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will be an issue. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.
We are four weeks into a freehold purchase having been referred to conveyancers by the selling agent to execute conveyancing in Frognal. We are not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new lawyers?
They would have to be really bad in order to consider replacing them. Has your loan offer been issued? In the event that it has you will need to make them aware of the replacement solicitor and ensure the loan are issued to the new lawyers. The solicitor ideally needs to be on the mortgage company approved list to avoid supplemental charges and complications. So that should be your first question of the new solicitors. The search tool should help you find a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Frognal