Is the fact that my solicitor in Aldershot is not listed on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the Aldershot conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
When can the exchange of contracts occur in domestic conveyancing in Aldershot and am I required to attend the conveyancers branch?
If you are near to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Aldershot you are invited in to sign documents. However, the lender approved solicitors we recommend supply a national conveyancing service and provide as equally detailed and professional a job for you when communicating with you digitally. The executing of the sale agreement is not the important part. A signed contract is necessary for the solicitor to address the formalities at the appropriate time, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a long "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Aldershot)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.
I am buying a new build flat in Aldershot. Can I do my own conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Aldershot you will have to appoint a solicitor on your mortgage company's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Aldershot.
Is it correct that all Aldershot CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel?
A selection of banks and building societies now make use of the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their approved list of firms.
I am buying a property in Aldershot. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Nottingham have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Nottingham your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions set out in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nottingham. The CML Handbook stipulates minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Nottingham where a lease fails to meet these requirements. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not isolated to Aldershot.
After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Aldershot. My financial adviser suggested a solicitor. I paid an advanced payment of £225. A few days later, the lawyer called me to say that they were not on the Aldermore 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 Aldermore 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 am downsizing from our home in Aldershot and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed on contaminated land. Any local conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the purchasers are using a factory type conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Aldershot. We have lived in Aldershot for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to seek confirmation that the buyers are looking for.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. What do they say? You should check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same illness)
Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Aldershot prior to retaining lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. My surveyor has said that some lenders will not issue a loan on this type of premises.
It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different instructions for example to Halifax. If you call us we can investigate further via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Aldershot. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.