Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in West Brompton is not on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?
That is most likely 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 lawyer 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 West Brompton conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
We're in West Brompton, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Skipton , and our lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer 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.
We are buying a apartment in West Brompton. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we have to put our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our money?
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.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in West Brompton. I have a mortgage offer with HSBC. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with HSBC, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel.
I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Co-operative are being difficult. The West Brompton solicitor who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Co-operative are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Co-operative have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Co-operative have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Co-operative 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.
Do I need to pay for insurance to cover chancel repairs when acquiring a residence in West Brompton?
Unless a prior purchase of the property took place post 12 October 2013 you may assume that solicitors carrying out conveyancing in West Brompton to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in West Brompton?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in West Brompton. 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…’
How does conveyancing in West Brompton differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in West Brompton approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is constructed. This is because house builders in West Brompton usually buy 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 property lawyers 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 West Brompton or who has acted in the same development.