Our mortgage company has suggested a law firm on their panel based in Whitchurch but I would rather choose a conveyancing lawyer in Whitchurch or nearer to where I live. Are you able to assist?
It is by no means the case that all Whitchurch conveyancing solicitors are approved and listed on all lender’s conveyancing panel. Use the above find an approved solicitor tool to find a Whitchurch conveyancing firm on the on the lender panel.
I'm the single recipient of my late mum's will with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Whitchurch. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in October. I plan to dispose of the house. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders 6 month 'rule', meaning my property ownership could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the house in October. Is the property unsalable for six months?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook requires conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you could be caught by that. How practical a view banks take of it, depend on the lender as this requirement is primarily there to pick up on subsales or the flipping of properties.
Is it the case that all Whitchurch solicitor firms on the Barclays conveyancing panel are regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Barclays conveyancing panel they would need to be governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such practice would be overseen by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
Nottingham have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a apartment in Whitchurch has been accepted, what are the next steps?
Your property agent will wish to be informed of your conveyancer's details (be sure the solicitors are on the bank’s approved list). Telephone Nottingham or your financial adviser and complete any appropriate documentation. Nottingham will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or vendor to schedule a time for the valuation to happen. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes about ten days to get a mortgage offer. Nottingham will send the offer to you and your solicitors. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Whitchurch.
My friend suggested that if I am purchasing in Whitchurch I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
This is a search is occasionally included in the estimate for your Whitchurch conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Whitchurch around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Whitchurch Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Whitchurch.
I purchased a terraced Edwardian house in Whitchurch. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Clydesdale. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Whitchurch and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also enquire as to the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who completed the work.
I'm purchasing my first flat in Whitchurch benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to move on the price so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent told me not inform my lawyer about the extras as it could affect my mortgage with the lender. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
Should I be suspicious about third parties that I am dealing with are suggesting a web based conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Whitchurch conveyancing company?
As with lots of service providers, often recommendations from family and friends can be extremely useful or valuable. Nevertheless there are many people with a vested interest in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, financial adviser and mortgage companies might all suggest conveyancers to use. Sometimes these solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but occasionally there behind the scenes commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You have the discretion to choose your own lawyer. You need to be aware that the majority of mortgage providers specify a panel list of solicitors you are obliged to use for the mortgage related work in your transaction.