We are buying a 1 bedroom apartment in Stratford with a mortgage. We have a Stratford conveyancer, but the lender advise she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel solicitors or retain our Stratford conveyancer as well as pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders 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 Stratford conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
We're in Stratford, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Barclays , and our solicitor is on the Barclays conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no solicitor should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
Various online forums that I have come across warn that are a common cause of hinderance in Stratford conveyancing transactions. Is that correct?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the common causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Searches are unlikely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Stratford.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Stratford?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Stratford. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Stratford is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Stratford are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Stratford you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Stratford 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 premises.
I need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Stratford for my sale. Is there any facility to see a firm’s record with the profession’s regulator?
Anyone can read documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors history, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes recorded telephone calls for training reasons.
