we are a couple who intend to purchase a newbuild flat in Gilwern with a mortgage from Santander.We have a Gilwern conveyancing solicitor but Santander advised that her practice is not listed on their "panel". We have to appoint a Santander panel solicitor or keep our preferred solicitor and fork out for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Santander use our lawyer?
Unfortunately,no. The home loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, a common one being that conveyancers must be on the Santander conveyancing panel. in the past, most mortgage companies had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could find 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. Another option that might be available is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Santander
What is your number one tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Gilwern
Do not opt for the cheapest Gilwern conveyancing fees. 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 go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.
I am the only recipient of my late father’s will and I have everything in my name now, including the house in Gilwern. The Gilwern property was put into my name in December. I want to move. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', meaning my property ownership could be considered the same way as if I'd bought the property in December. Is the property unsalable for six months?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook instructs conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you may be affected by that. How sensible a view lenders take of it, depend on the mortgage company as this clause is principally there to pick up on the purchase and immediately sell or the quick reselling of properties.
I've read lots of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Gilwern solicitor - who is on the Barclays conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Barclays will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Barclays 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. Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Gilwern postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Gilwern.
Me and my brother purchased a 4 bedroom Victorian property in Gilwern. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Accord Mortgages Ltd. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same property. Is it worth asking Accord Mortgages Ltd to clarify?
You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Gilwern and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who carried out the work.
How does conveyancing in Gilwern differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Gilwern come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is ready to move into. This is because builders in Gilwern typically buy the real estate, 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 conveyancers 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 used to new build conveyancing in Gilwern or who has acted in the same development.
How simple is it to use your search app to get a quote from a conveyancing lawyer in Gilwern on the panel for my mortgage?
1st choose a mortgage company such as Nationwide Building Society, Leeds Building Society or Clydesdale then choose your preferred area for example Gilwern. Conveyancing organisations in Gilwern and beyond should be listed.
Harry (my fiance) and I may need to sub-let our Gilwern garden flat for a while due to a new job. We used a Gilwern conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have closed and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?
Some leases for properties in Gilwern do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.
Gilwern Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying
-
It is important to be aware if window replacement or some other major work is due shortly that will be shared by the leasehold owners and will materially increase the the service fees or require a one time payment. How much is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the flat? Many Gilwern leasehold properties will incur a service charge for maintenance of the block levied by the freeholder. If you purchase the apartment you will have to pay this amount, normally quarterly accross the year. This could be anything from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large communal areas. In all probability there will be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a significant sum, say about £25-£75 but you should to check it because occasionally it can be prohibitively expensive.