My partner and I are looking to purchase a flat in Sawston and are in fact using a Sawston conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. Barnsley Building Society have this evening contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Sawston conveyancer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is conventional for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Sawston solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
We are planning to move house in August. Does my conveyancing solicitor communicate with the removal company on the completion day. As an aside, can you recommend a removal company in Sawston. Conveyancing lawyer was found before I stumbled across this website.
On the day of completion you can collect the keys from your property agent but this can only happen when the sellers solicitors inform the agent that they acknowledge receipt of the completion payment and the keys can be collected. Subsequently you will need to advise the removal company that they can start moving you in. As a matter of policy we do not recommend a particular removal company but can assist you in finding a conveyancing in Sawston or a firm that specialises in conveyancing in Sawston.
Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Sawston. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?
Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.
Intending to buy a house in Sawston. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Sawston property lawyer is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.
Will my solicitor be raising questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Sawston.
Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Sawston. Some people will buy a house in Sawston, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.
Lawyers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a number of searches that can be undertaken by the purchaser or by their lawyers which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Sawston. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms supplied to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) includes a usual inquiry of the seller to discover if the property has suffered from flooding. If the residence has been flooded in past and is not notified by the owner, then a purchaser could commence a legal claim for losses stemming from an inaccurate reply. The buyer’s conveyancers may also conduct an environmental report. This will reveal whether there is any known flood risk. If so, additional investigations will need to be initiated.
How does conveyancing in Sawston differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Sawston come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is completed. This is because new home sellers in Sawston tend to buy the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Sawston or who has acted in the same development.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Sawston is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Sawston are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Sawston 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 Sawston may ascertain 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.
I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Sawston. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?
Most houses in Sawston are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Sawston in which case you should be looking for a Sawston conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.