My partner and I are hoping to purchase a flat in Todmorden and are in fact using a Todmorden conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our property lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Halifax have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Todmorden conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is standard for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. 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 property lawyer should contact your lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Todmorden lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
Can you recommend a Accord Mortgages Ltd accepted Todmorden conveyancing practice who can have us moved in within 28 days? Am I best advised to choose a high street Todmorden firm or a web based comparison site?
We can recommend some very good Todmorden conveyancing firms. Another option is to visit the high street in Todmorden. Approach a couple of law practices and ask to see a conveyancing solicitor for a costs illustration. Explain your expectations together with the reasons and get an assurance on speed. Select the lawyer that appears most efficient.
My Conveyancer in Todmorden is not listed on the Santander Solicitor Panel. Can I still use my family solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the Santander approved list?
Your options are as follows:
- Carry on with your existing Todmorden solicitors but Santander will need to retain a solicitor on their panel. This will result in additional total legal charges as well as result in frustration.
- Get an alternative lawyer to act in the conveyancing, not forgetting to check they are Convince your lawyer to do everything within their powers to join the Santander conveyancing panel
How does conveyancing in Todmorden differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Todmorden come to us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because developers in Todmorden tend to purchase the land, 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 used to new build conveyancing in Todmorden or who has acted in the same development.
I was recommended by a number of estate agents in Todmorden to find a property lawyer using your seach tool. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to offer your lawyers ahead of another?
We refuse to give any commission for sending work our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as home movers will think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.
My husband and I are new on the property ladder - agreed a price, yet the estate agent advised that the seller will only go ahead if we use the agent's recommended solicitors as they need an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family solicitor accustomed to conveyancing in Todmorden
It is highly unlikely the sellers are driving this. Should the owner want ‘a quick sale', turning down a serious purchaser is counter productive. Avoid the agents and go straight to the sellers and explain that (a)you are serious purchasers (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you are chain free (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you will continue to use your preferred Todmorden conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will earn their estate agent a commission or hit his conveyancing targets set by senior management.