I am progressing with the sale of my ground floor flat in Oxfordshire and the EA has just e-mailed to advise that the purchasers are appointing a new law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the bank will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major mortgage company only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Oxfordshire ?
Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in recent years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 15 years.
Mortgage companies attribute this action to a rise in fraud as the reason 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 being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms 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. The buyers are not going to have any impact on this.
How do I check that the solicitor conducting my conveyancing in Oxfordshire is on the mortgage lender’sapproved panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for Leeds Building Society thus paying £192.00 in supplemental legal bill.
Feel free to make use of the find a lender approved solicitor tool on this page. Please choose the lender and type ‘Oxfordshire’ or your preferred area and you will see a number of lawyer located in Oxfordshire or nearest you.
Can you help - my lawyer says that lack of planning permission insurance is needed on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Oxfordshire?
The right level of lack of planning permission indemnity insurance depends on your lender. It would differ for example between Accord Mortgages Ltd and Chelsea Building Society. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.
Can you point me to a directory of Clydesdale panel solicitors in Oxfordshire on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of lending institutions make their panel listings viewable on the web. Where you are in need of a Oxfordshire conveyancer on the Clydesdale please use our facility.
We have a mortgage agreed in principle with UBS. Oxfordshire conveyancing lawyers are chosen. How long does it take for UBS to forward the offer to the solicitor?
There is no definitive answer here. Have UBS conducted the survey? Have you advised UBS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the UBS conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
The deeds to our home can not be found. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Oxfordshire 4 years ago have long since closed. What are my next steps?
Nowadays there are copies made of almost everything, and your solicitor should be aware precisely where to locate all the relevant documentation so you may buy or dispose of your house without a hitch. Where duplicates are not available, your conveyancer can arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities protecting you against future claims on your premises.
Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Oxfordshire ahead of appointing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the property. My surveyor has said that some lenders tend not give a mortgage on such a property.
It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different instructions for example to Nationwide. If you e-mail us we can look into this further with the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Oxfordshire. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
My partner and I are are seeking to find an affordable conveyancing solicitor in Oxfordshire to buy a apartment. I want to avoid being ripped off but with plenty Oxfordshire conveyancing practices out there...how do I know which one is best to appoint?
The best tip when choosing a Oxfordshire conveyancing practitioner is take references from friends or other professionals that you trust. You are sure to know someone who has used a conveyancing solicitor in the past. Feel free to utilise our comparison tool for Oxfordshire conveyancing quotes