Is the fact that my solicitor in Strawberry Hill is not on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of her work?
That would most likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are plenty of plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 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 solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Strawberry Hill conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
We decided to purchase a newbuild apartment in Strawberry Hill with a mortgage from Aldermore.We use our Strawberry Hill conveyancing practitioner but Aldermore says she’s not on their approved list of firms. It seems we are left with no choice but to instruct a Aldermore panel solicitor or keep our high street solicitor and fork out for a Aldermore panel lawyer to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The home loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, a common one being that lawyers must be on the Aldermore approved list. Until recently, most mortgage companies had large numbers of solicitors 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 solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Aldermore
This question may be naive but I am new to the process as a 1st time buyer of a two bedroom flat in Strawberry Hill. Do I collect the keys to the property on completion from my lawyer? If so, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in Strawberry Hill?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will arrange to send the purchase money to the owner’s lawyers, and once they have received this, you will be invited to receive the keys from the property Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.
I'm spending time viewing flats in Strawberry Hill and I am about to put in an offer. Is it best to have my lawyer on ‘stand by’? I am planning to take a home loan with Skipton.
It would be sensible to instigate your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the EA. Given that you are getting 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.
I was told four weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by RBS. Is it usual for RBS to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Strawberry Hill is approved on their conveyancing panel? RBS have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for RBS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the RBS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
How does conveyancing in Strawberry Hill differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Strawberry Hill come to us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because new home sellers in Strawberry Hill typically acquire 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Strawberry Hill or who has acted in the same development.
I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Strawberry Hill. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have recently had a yearly service charge invoice – what should I do?
The sensible thing to do is discharge the maintenance contribution as usual given that all ground rent and service payments will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
After years of negotiations we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Strawberry Hill. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?
Most certainly. We can put you in touch with a Strawberry Hill conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Strawberry Hill residence is Ground Floor Flat 91 Bath Road in May 2009. in a case where the freeholder could not be traced, the Brentford County Court ordered that the Lease be surrendered in return for the grant of a new lease of the Premises at a premium determined by the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. The tribunal concluded that the price payable by the Applicant for the new lease of the premises be £15,900 This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired term was 60.45 years.
What range of conveyancing matters do Strawberry Hill conveyancing solicitors provide?
Most Strawberry Hill conveyancing firms manage to handle a number of services to domestic and agricultural land proprietors, vendors, investors, freeholders and tenants including the following:
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Standard residential sale conveyancing in Strawberry Hill or wider afield
Private residential purchase conveyancing in Strawberry Hill and throughout England and Wales
Local authority 'right to buy' conveyancing Staircasing if you are buying an additional or final share in a shared ownership property First registrations All property dispute issues including rights of way and boundary disputes
