We are buying a 2 bedroom flat in Immingham with a mortgage. We like our Immingham solicitor, but the bank says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or keep our Immingham lawyer as well as 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. Another option that might be available is for your Immingham conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
We are acquiring a new build apartment in Immingham and my conveyancer is telling me that she is duty bound to the lender to disclose incentives from the developer. I am on a tight deadline to exchange and I have no desire to delay matters. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on a mortgage company panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Immingham? Is this really warranted?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering regulations require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identification documents of the potential client they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing business. The Client Care letter that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. If you are unwilling to provide identification documents, your lawyer can not take you on as a client.
Should our conveyancer be asking questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Immingham.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Immingham. Plenty of people will purchase a property in Immingham, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.
Solicitors are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous searches that can be undertaken by the buyer or by their conveyancers which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Immingham. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms sent to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a usual question of the owner to find out if the premises has suffered from flooding. If the residence has been flooded in past which is not revealed by the vendor, then a buyer could issue a compensation claim as a result of such an incorrect answer. A buyer’s lawyers will also conduct an enviro report. This should reveal if there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations will need to be initiated.
I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Immingham. I now require my papers however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Immingham of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Given that I will soon part with 450k on a two bedroom apartment in Immingham I would like to talk to a solicitor concerning thetransaction ahead of appointing the firm. Can this be arranged?
This is something that we encourage - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the lawyer who will be carrying out your conveyancing in Immingham.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is unique person, not a case reference. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Immingham should be the figure that you end up paying.