I am progressing with the sale of my home in Acton and the EA has just text me to say that the purchasers are changing their property lawyer. The reason given is that the lender will only deal with property lawyers on their approved list. On what basis would a big named lender only engage with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Acton ?
Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.
Lenders attribute this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the pruning – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.
I am buying a property in Acton. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Skipton be concerned?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Skipton your lawyer must follow the conveyancing requirements outlined in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Skipton. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Skipton where a lease fails to comply with these requirements. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not isolated to Acton.
I have paid off my mortgage with Clydesdale. I assume I don't need a Acton property lawyer on the Clydesdale panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Clydesdale mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Clydesdale mortgage from the register. Clydesdale, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Clydesdale has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Clydesdale has instructed the Land Registry to do so
After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Acton. My mortgage broker recommended their conveyancers. I paid an upfront payment of £150. A few days later, the solicitor called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Lloyds panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
I used Stirling Law a few years past for my conveyancing in Acton. Now, I need my documents but the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should 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 Acton of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Is it simple use your search tool to locate a conveyancing solicitor in Acton on the approved list for my mortgage?
Step one is to select a lender such as Birmingham Midshires, Skipton Building Society or Britannia then type in your preferred area such as Acton. Conveyancing organisations in Acton and across England and Wales will then be identified.
In my capacity as executor for the will of my grandmother I am disposing of a residence in Newport but live in Acton. My solicitor (who is 235 kilometers awayrequires that I execute a stat dec before the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Acton to witness this legal document for me?
strictly speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or solicitor will do regardless of whether they are located in Acton
Been looking for a lawyer for freehold sale conveyancing in Acton. I'm selling, simple no mortgage to pay off, no rush, no onward purchase. Received a quote from a property lawyer for nine hundred pounds plus VAT which is a tad steep given that its so straightforward. Can I pay less for conveyancing in Acton?
Considering it’s a sale only, £425 + VAT is likely to be about the best for sale conveyancing in Acton.