My mortgage broker has asked me for my Highgate law firm’s panel member for the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have tried my local Highgate branch but they have not responded to me.
Have you tried speaking to your Highgate solicitor about this?. Most Highgate law practices will keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each bank.
Can the conveyancing lawyers identified via your search tool conduct auction conveyancing in Highgate?
There are a number of niche lawyers we can connect you with those conducting auction conveyancing. Highgate is one of hundreds of areas of in which our lawyers are based.
I happen to be the only recipient of my late grandmother’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Highgate. The Highgate property was put into my name in May. I want to move. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the property in May. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?
The CML handbook mandates solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be caught by that. How sensible a view lenders take of it, depend on the bank as this requirement primarily exists to capture subsales or the wholesaling and assigning of property.
Is it the case that all Highgate conveyancing solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel are governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the HSBC approved list of solicitors they would need to be governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many lenders do list licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the firms would be overseen by the CLC.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a Highgate property lawyer having made sure that they are on the UBS conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
UBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually UBS 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. You may wish to consider appointing your own Highgate surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Highgate is where the house is located. What do you suggest?
Flying freeholds in Highgate are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Highgate you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Highgate may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.
My husband and I are new to the buying process - agreed a price, but the agent advised that the seller will only proceed if we appoint the agent's preferred solicitors as they need a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a high street solicitor who is familiar with conveyancing in Highgate
We suspect that the seller is not behind this ultimatum. Should the seller desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a serious buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Speak to the vendors direct and make sure they comprehend that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you are chain free (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you are going to use your preferred Highgate conveyancing firm - not the ones that will give the negotiator at the agency a commission or meet his conveyancing thresholds pre-set by corporate headquarters.
Two months into purchasing a house in Highgate. Conveyancing solicitor has told us the title is "Leasehold". Will this likely adversely affect the salability of the property?
Highgate conveyancing does not ordinarily involve leasehold houses. The main consideration here is the remaining lease term and the ground rent. If it's 999 years with a nominal rent, it's essentially freehold, so it’s unlikely to affect the saleability significantly.
At the other end of the spectrum, if it's, say, Sixty years it is bound to have a material effect on the value, and most likely wouldn't be mortgageable. The remaining lease term and ground rent will be stated in the lease to be supplied to your conveyancing practitioner.
