My wife and I are buying a 2 bedroom apartment in Harlington with a mortgage. We have a Harlington conveyancer, however the lender says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have no choice but to appoint one of the mortgage company panel conveyancing practices or keep our Harlington solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’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 Harlington conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
My brother and I have just purchased a property in Harlington. We have noticed several issues with the property which we believe were omitted in the conveyancing searches. Is there anything we can do? Can you clarify the nature of searches that needed to have been conducted as part of conveyancing in Harlington?
It is not clear from the question as what problems have arisen and if they are relate to conveyancing in Harlington. Conveyancing searches and due diligence undertaken as part of the legal transfer of property are supposed to help avoid problems. As part of the legal transfer of property, the vendor fills in a document known as a Seller’s Property Information Form. answers proves to be inaccurate, you could possibly take legal action against the vendor for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Harlington.
As someone not used to the Harlington conveyancing process what’s the number one tip you can impart concerning the ownership transfer in Harlington
Not many law firms shout this from the rooftops but conveyancing in Harlington or throughout England and Wales is an adversarial process. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there exists lots of room for conflict between you and others involved in the legal transfer of property. For example, the vendor, selling agent and on occasion your bank. Choosing a lawyer for your conveyancing in Harlington should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the process whose interest is to look after your best interests and to keep you safe.
On occasion a potential adversary will attempt to persuade you that it is in your interests to do things their way. For instance, the property agent may claim to be assisting by suggesting your solicitor is slow. Or your financial adviser may tell you to do take action that is against your lawyers guidance. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.
Will my conveyancer be raising questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Harlington.
Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers dealing with homes in Harlington. Plenty of people will purchase a property in Harlington, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.
Conveyancers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous searches that may be initiated by the buyer or by their lawyers which should figure out the risks in Harlington. The standard information given to a buyer’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) includes a standard question of the vendor to determine if the property has ever been flooded. In the event that the premises has been flooded in past which is not notified by the vendor, then a purchaser may bring a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading reply. A buyer’s lawyers will also commission an environmental search. This will indicate if there is any known flood risk. If so, additional investigations should be made.
I am looking for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Harlington I like with a park and station in the vicinity, however it only has 51 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Harlington in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?
Should you need a mortgage that many years may be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you can ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the mortgage company conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the mortgage company approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the lender conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the lender solicitor panel.