Just contacted my conveyancing lawyer in Northumberland who acted for me two years ago requesting a conveyancing costs illustration based on an identical type of house sale & purchase (a leasehold residence and a freehold premises) of almost identical values with a mortgage from The Royal Bank of Scotland. I am now being quoted twice the amount. Am I right to be tempted to shop around for an alternative firm of conveyancing solicitor?
The estimate does seem a little steep. If you shop around you may be able to get the conveyancing a bit cheaper by as much as £125. On the other hand, assuming were happy with the conveyancing the firm offered you couldcome to regret choosing an a cheaper solicitor. If is important to enquire that the solicitor can represent The Royal Bank of Scotland. You can utilise our search tool to find a Northumberland conveyancing firm on the The Royal Bank of Scotland approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Northumberland.
Our lawyer has identified a a problem with the lease for the flat we are purchasing in Northumberland. The seller’s lawyers have suggested title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our property lawyer says that he must ensure that the mortgage company is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is the bank?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the mortgage company are the client. Your solicitor must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the bank can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your conveyancing practitioner will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
We note that you have a search directory identifying solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for our own conveyancing in Northumberland?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the HSBC conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Northumberland.
What is your number one tip for finding a conveyancing solicitor in Northumberland
Do not opt for the lowest Northumberland conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.
Do I choose a Licenced Conveyancer or Solicitor for conveyancing in Northumberland?
There are many registered licenced Conveyancers in Northumberland and Solicitor firms in Northumberland who provide Conveyancing services It is important to make clear that both are regulated professionals specialising in the legal work in the home buying process. Both can conduct other property legal work such as remortgage conveyancing, enfranchisement and transfer of equity conveyancing.
A colleague informed me that in buying a property in Northumberland there could be a number of restrictions preventing external alterations to a property. Is this right?
We are aware of a number of properties in Northumberland which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Northumberland should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
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. Northumberland is where the house is located. Can you offer any opinion?
Flying freeholds in Northumberland are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Northumberland you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Northumberland may decide 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.
Taking into account that I am about to part with £400,000 on a two bedroom apartment in Northumberland I would like to have a conversation with the conveyancer concerning thetransaction in advance of giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?
This is something that we recommend - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the conveyancer who will be conducting your property ownership legalities in Northumberland.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique individual, not a case reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Northumberland should be the figure that you end up paying.