My solicitor has uncovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the apartment we are purchasing in Sidcup. The seller’s lawyers have offered defective title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer has advised that he must check that the mortgage company is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the lender?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the mortgage company 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 conveyancer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
Having sold my house in Sidcup last February yet the purchaser is telephoning every few hours to moan that their conveyancer is waiting to hear from mine. What are the post completion sale legalities now that I have sold?
Following your house sale your conveyancer is obliged to send the transfer documentation and all supplemental paperwork to the buyer’s lawyers. Depending on the transaction, your lawyer must also evidence that the mortgage has been repaid to the purchasers lawyers. There are no post completion procedures unique to conveyancing in Sidcup.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Sidcup. My lender is Platform
Platform have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 25/4/2025, the requirements read as follows :
We are purchasing a apartment in Sidcup. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a conveyancer? On completion day we have to put money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
We had chosen conveyancers located in Sidcup on the Barclays solicitor approved list. They are now charging me an additional amount for handling the Barclays mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Barclays?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your conveyancing practitioner may charge a fee for this. This fee is not set by Barclays but by your Sidcup conveyancing practitioner. Plenty of firms on the Barclays panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but plenty of firms include it on their overall fee.
Aldermore have agreed my home loan in principle, my bid on a flat in Sidcup has been accepted, what happens next?
Your property agent will want to be informed of your solicitor's details (make sure the conveyancers are on the lender’s approved list). Telephone Aldermore or the broker and finish off any appropriate forms. Aldermore will sellect a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or owners to book a time for the valuation to happen. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes on average a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. Aldermore will issue the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Sidcup.
Should I be wary about brokers that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use an internet conveyancing firm rather than a local Sidcup conveyancing practice?
As with lots of service providers, often input from family and friends can be most helpful. Nevertheless there are lots of parties with a keen interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks might all suggest conveyancers to instruct. Sometimes the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but sometimes there behind the scenes commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You have the right to appoint your own conveyancer. Don't forget that many banks specify a panel list of lawyers you have to use for the mortgage aspect of your transaction.
I have been Googling for Sidcup online conveyancing estimates. Can I be assured that all the Sidcup firms that are listed on your directory are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel?
The law firms on our directory have assured us via an online form that they are on the mortgage company panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the lender panel. To date we have not been informed by either a lender or a member of the public that the data about a specific Sidcup firm being on the lender conveyancing panel is incorrect.