It has come to my attention via my mortgage adviser that my Wigan solicitor is not on the bank Conveyancing panel. What can I do to be certain if this is indeed the case?
You need to contact your Wigan lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to inform you what has happened. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your lender.
I used Stirling Law a few years past for my conveyancing in Wigan. I now require my file but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Wigan of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I decided to have a survey done on a property in Wigan before instructing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. Our surveyor has said that some banks will refuse to give a mortgage on a flying freehold premises.
It varies from the lender to lender. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Halifax. Should you wish to telephone us we can check via the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Wigan. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Wigan especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Wigan.
Am I better off to go with a Wigan conveyancing lawyer who is local to the property I am buying? I have an old university friend who can conduct the legal work however her office is 200kilometers drive away.
The primary upside of using a local Wigan conveyancing firm is that you can attend the office to sign documents, present your identification documents and apply pressure on them where appropriate. They will also have local intelligence which is a benefit. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have used your friend and they were content that must trump using an unknown Wigan conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being Wigan based.
What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Wigan conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?
If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Wigan conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggest that you talk with several firms including non Wigan conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be useful:
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What volume of lease extensions has the firm conducted in Wigan in the last 12 months? What are the charges for lease extension conveyancing?
Leasehold Conveyancing in Wigan - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying
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It would be prudent to find out as much as you can regarding the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day issues like the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of their service. Finally, be sure you understand the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the relevant party and specifically what you get for your money. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments?
I'm selling a bungalow in Wigan. I can find my conveyancer's company on the CLC list, but I can't see my conveyancer's name on the list. Should I be concerned?
Not all staff in the law firm must be listed by the regulator. Provided there is someone qualified to 'oversee' the work, the actual day-to-day activity can be undertaken by unqualified staff.