We are planning to acquire a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Totnes who is on the TSB solicitor panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?
Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for TSB . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Totnes.
The Totnes conveyancing lawyers that just started acting on my house acquisition in Totnes have without warning closed. They were on acting for me because I needed a solicitor on the Principality conveyancing panel and my previous Totnes lawyer was not. I cut them a cheque for £250 in advance. What are my options?
Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know straight away so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Principality conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to assist.
We are getting the release of further monies on our home loan from Virgin Money as we wish to conduct renovations to our house in Totnes. Are we obliged to choose a nearby Totnes solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?
Virgin Money would not normally appoint a member of their conveyancing panel to handle such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.
I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in February 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Virgin Money are being difficult. The Totnes solicitor who is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Virgin Money are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Virgin Money have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Virgin Money have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Virgin Money may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
My offer on a property in Totnes has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, however it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other flats in the pipeline. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Totnes. What do I do now? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with Aldermore?
It is normal to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (mortgage application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Totnes conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to check that your property lawyer is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Regarding the next stages this very much dictated by the circumstances of your transaction, desire for this property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market the majority of purchasers will apply for the mortgage with Aldermore and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they ask their solicitor to proceed with searches.
How does conveyancing in Totnes differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Totnes contact us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is completed. This is because developers in Totnes usually acquire the site, 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 Totnes or who has acted in the same development.
I am looking for a conveyancing solicitor in Totnes for my house move. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?
Members of the public may search for presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes monitor telephone calls for training reasons.
I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Totnes. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the number of years remaining on the lease.
If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Totnes - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Totnes - Sample of Queries Prior to buying
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Is the freehold owned collectively by the tenants? This question is useful as a) areas may cause problems for the building as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have an issue with the running of the building you will want to know about it Is anyone aware of any major works in the planning that will increase the service charges?