Is the fact that my solicitor in Sawtry is not listed on my lender's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s work?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the Sawtry conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.
Finally the sale completed on my house in Sawtry last May but the buyer keeps telephoning every few hours complaining that her conveyancer needs to hear from myconveyancer. What should have happened following completion?
Post completion of your disposal your solicitor is committed to send the transfer documentation and all additional paperwork to the buyer’s conveyancer. Depending on the transaction, your conveyancer should also send confirmation that the mortgage has been redeemed to the purchasers solicitors. There is unlikely to be post completion requirements peculiar conveyancing in Sawtry.
We are purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in Sawtry with a homeloan from Accord Mortgages Ltd.We have a Sawtry conveyancing practitioner but Accord Mortgages Ltd advised that her practice is not on their "panel". we are left little option but to use a Accord Mortgages Ltd panel solicitor or keep our preferred solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Accord Mortgages Ltd use our lawyer?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you contains various provisions, one of which will be that lawyers will be on the Accord Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel. Until recently, most mortgage companies had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Accord Mortgages Ltd
We had selected conveyancers based in Sawtry on the Lloyds solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me a supplemental amount for dealing with the Lloyds mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Lloyds?
As unfair as it may seem, as long as it’s in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your conveyancer may levy a fee for this. This fee is not dictated by Lloyds but by your Sawtry solicitor. Some firms on the Lloyds panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.
We are getting the release of further monies on our home loan from Nationwide as we intend to carry out alterations to our home in Sawtry. Are we obliged to choose a bricks and mortar Sawtry solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Nationwide would not normally instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Nationwide panel.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with HSBC. I assume I don't need a Sawtry solicitor on the HSBC panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your HSBC mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the HSBC mortgage from the register. HSBC, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where HSBC has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- HSBC has instructed the Land Registry to do so
I have recentlybecome aware that Action Conveyancing have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Sawtry for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 12 months ago. How can I be sure that my home is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?
The easiest way to check if the property is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Sawtry conveyancing specialists.
Taking into account that I will soon spend 450k on a two bedroom apartment in Sawtry I wish to have a conversation with the solicitor concerning theconveyancing prior to giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?
This is something that we encourage - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the conveyancer who will be doing your property ownership legalities in Sawtry.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 calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Sawtry should be the amount on the final invoice that you end up paying.