My wife and I are hoping to purchase a 2 bedroom apartment in Arundel with a mortgage. We have a Arundel lawyer, however the mortgage company advise she’s not on their "panel". It appears that we have no option but to use one of the mortgage company panel firms or keep our Arundel solicitor as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to act for them. We regard this is inequitable; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your Arundel conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
My friend advised me that where I am buying in Arundel I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Arundel conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Arundel around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Arundel Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Arundel Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Arundel.
I used Action Conveyancing several years past for my conveyancing in Arundel. I now require my papers but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down 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 Arundel of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Should I be concerned that 3rd parties that I am dealing with are suggesting a nationwide conveyancing firm rather than a local Arundel conveyancing practice?
As with lots of professional services, often referrals from connections can be worth their weight in gold. Yet there are lots of parties with a vested interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks might all recommend conveyancers to retain. Sometimes the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but sometimes there may be a financial incentive behind the endorsement. You have the discretion to choose your preferred conveyancer. You need to be aware that most banks specify a panel list of law firms you are obliged to use for the lender aspect of your house move.
I am using a search engine for the words cheap conveyancing in Arundel it reveals numerous solicitorsin the area. How do I determine which is the right property lawyer for the sale of my house?
The preferential way of choosing the right conveyancer is via personal referral, so enquire of colleagues and family who have bought a property in Arundel or a reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Arundel differ, so it's advisable to request at least three estimates from varying types of property lawyers. Make sure that you know that the costs are assured not to increase.
Please can you clarify what my options are where my Arundel conveyancing searches reveals adverse results?
Normally, almost all issues revealed in Arundel conveyancing search responses can be handled before completion or indemnity insurance can be put in place. You need to note that even though you may be purchasing the premises and might be content to live with the search results, your lender may not, and when all said and done they have the word say.