I am nearing exchange of contracts for my ground floor flat in Leyton and the EA has just called to say that the buyers are switching law firm. The excuse is that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a big named lender only work with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Leyton ?
Lenders have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as Santander, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.
Lenders attribute this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.
The Leyton conveyancing lawyers that I recently instructed on my purchase in Leyton have without warning shut down. I chose them because I needed a lawyer on the Principality conveyancing panel and my previous Leyton lawyer was not. I wrote them a cheque for £250 in advance. What should be my next steps?
Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then inform them immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Principality conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to help.
is it true that all Leyton solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the HSBC conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Some mortgage companies do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in such a situation the firms would be governed by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in December 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Co-operative are being a right pain. The Leyton solicitor who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Co-operative are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Co-operative have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Co-operative have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Co-operative may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
I've digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Leyton solicitor - who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Skipton will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Skipton 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 Leyton 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.
About to purchase a new build apartment in Leyton. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.
Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Leyton
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Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision.
I am employed by a long established estate agent office in Leyton where we see a few leasehold sales jeopardised due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received conflicting advice from local Leyton conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?
Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.
An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.
Despite our best endeavours, we have been unsuccessful in trying to purchase the freehold in Leyton. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?
Where there is a missing freeholder or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to decide the amount due.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Leyton premises is 12 Nutfield Road in July 2014. the Tribunal judged that the price to be paid by the applicants for the freehold interest should be £19,572 This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 72.02 years.
Our conveyancing in Leyton is completing next Friday, but the vendors I am buying off wants to vacate 24 hours later at PM. Can I accept such a idea?
If you are having a loan then your lawyer will insist that the premises arevacant on Friday - the mortgage company will insist on it.