It is 10 years ago since I bought my home in Pratt's Bottom. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been appointed on the sale but I can't find the title documents. Is this a major issue?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be kept by your mortgage company or they may be archived with the lawyers who oversaw the purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring up to date copy of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Pratt's Bottom involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it is more of a problem but is resolvable.
I had intended to instruct a property lawyer in Pratt's Bottom for our house purchase. Our financial adviser has since advised us that our mortgage lenders Britannia won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unfair competition?
Mortgage Companies tend to restrict either the type or the number of conveyancing firms on their approved list of lawyers. Typical examples of such restriction(s) being that a law practice must not be a sole practitioner. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have reduced the amount of firms they allow to act for them. You should note that Britannia have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of Britannia Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of solicitor panels a few years ago even though there are differing opinions about the level of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Data from the Land Registry reveal that hundreds of law firms, including some in or near Pratt's Bottom only execute a couple conveyances per annum.
I am expecting a OIP from RBS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do RBS recommend any Pratt's Bottom solicitors on the RBS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Pratt's Bottom solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the RBS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and RBS through the process.
My wife and I are at the point of viewing apartments in Pratt's Bottom and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it sensible to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a mortgage with Skipton.
You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the selling agent. As you are seeking a mortgage with Skipton, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Skipton conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.
After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Pratt's Bottom. My mortgage broker suggested a lawyer. I paid an upfront payment of £175. A couple of days later, the lawyer called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Clydesdale panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Taking into account that I am about to spend 450k on a property in Pratt's Bottom I would like to talk to a lawyer regarding theconveyancing in advance of instructing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?
We could not agree more - we would be delighted to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the lawyer who will be carrying out your property ownership legalities in Pratt's Bottom.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a matter reference. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for your conveyancing in Pratt's Bottom should be the figure that you are charged.
I need to find a conveyancing solicitor for some conveyancing in Pratt's Bottom. I happened to chance upon a web site which seems to have the ideal offering If there is a chance to get all the legals done via email that would be preferable. Do I need to be wary? What should out be looking out for?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
Can you set out some of distinct advantages to instructing a local solicitor in Pratt's Bottom
Many buyers and sellers in Pratt's Bottom select a nearby high street solicitor so that they can attend the firm’s offices if they have problems, and to execute mortgage deeds rather than run the risk of depending on the Royal Mail.
We would say that there exists a marginal edge when using a property lawyer local to the property you are purchasing, due to the in-depth knowledge of the locality and possible local concerns - nevertheless this is moot. Many conveyancers are now online and may be any place in the world.