I am considering applying for a Leeds Building Society mortgage for purchase of a newly converted (under development) in Hayling Island with 65 per cent LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Leeds Building Society ?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Leeds Building Society will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
I am helping my step-mother sell her house in Hayling Island. Will the solicitor order an energy performance certificate or should I organise this?
Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, energy performance certificates was left as a required component of moving house. An energy assessment must be commissioned prior to the property being placed on the market. It is not as aspect of the sale process that lawyers normally organise. If you are instructing a Hayling Island conveyancing solicitor they may be willing to arrange energy assessments due to their contacts with reputable Hayling Island accredited person
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Hayling Island. My financial adviser suggested a solicitor. I paid an upfront payment of £150. Shortly after, the conveyancing practitioner called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Santander conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Santander panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
I have instructed a Hayling Island conveyancing practitioner having made sure that they are on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
Bank of Ireland will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Bank of Ireland 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 conveyancing practitioner 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 Hayling Island postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Hayling Island.
How does conveyancing in Hayling Island differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Hayling Island come to us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because builders in Hayling Island usually buy 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 used to new build conveyancing in Hayling Island or who has acted in the same development.
Should I be suspicious that brokers that I am dealing with are suggesting a national conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Hayling Island conveyancing practice?
As is the case with lots of professional services, often referrals from family and friends can be extremely useful or valuable. Nevertheless there are many people with a keen interest in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks may put forward lawyers to instruct. On occasion the solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but occasionally there is an underlying commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You are free to choose your own lawyer. Don't forget that most banks operate an approved list of law firms you are obliged to use for the mortgage aspect of your transaction.
I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Hayling Island for my home move. Is it possible to check a solicitor's record with the profession’s regulator?
One can review documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from inquisitions commenced on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may recorded call for training reasons.
To what extent are Hayling Island conveyancing solicitors under an obligation to the Law Society to supply clear conveyancing figures?
Inbuilt into the Solicitors Code of Conduct are specific rules and regulations as to how the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) allow solicitors to publicise their fees to clients.The Law Society have practice note giving advice on how to publicise transparent charges to avoid breaching any such rule. Practice notes are not legal advice issued by the Law Society and is not to be regarded as the only standard of good practice a conveyancing solicitor should adhere to. The Practice Note does, nevertheless, represent the Law Society’s view of acceptable practice for publicising conveyancing charges, and accordingly it’s a recommended read for any solicitor or conveyancer in Hayling Island or further afield.