My husband and I are purchasing a 2 bedroom apartment in Bampton with a mortgage. We wish to retain our Bampton solicitor, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have no choice but to use one of the bank panel solicitors or keep our Bampton conveyancer and pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. We consider that this is inequitable; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. 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 Bampton conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
My aunt pointed out to me me that in buying a property in Bampton there may be a number of restrictions limiting what one can do in terms of external alterations to a property. Is this right?
There are a number of properties in Bampton which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to perform external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Bampton should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
Is there a list of Virgin Money panel solicitors in Bampton on the Building Society Association’s Website?
Unfortunately not yet. There is no such directory service on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few banks make their panel listings visible on the web. If you are in need of a Bampton solicitor on the Virgin Money please make the most of our facility.
We previously instructed conveyancing lawyers with offices in Bampton on the Skipton solicitor panel. They are now charging me a separate sum for dealing with the Skipton mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Skipton?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your conveyancing practitioner is entitled to levy a fee for this. This charge is not set by Skipton but by your Bampton solicitor. Numerous firms on the Skipton panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Bampton?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Bampton. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
How does conveyancing in Bampton differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Bampton approach us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is constructed. This is because developers in Bampton tend to acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Bampton or who has acted in the same development.
Taking into account that I will soon part with hundreds of thousands of pounds on a garden flat in Bampton I would like to talk to a lawyer about myhome move prior to appointing the firm. Can this be arranged?
We could not agree more - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the conveyancer due to be doing your property ownership legalities in Bampton.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique person, not a file number. The law firms that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for residential conveyancing in Bampton should be the figure that you end up paying.
When it comes to my conveyancing in Bampton should I be paying VAT on the following: (1) Land reg fee on purchase (2) Pre - completion search fee (3) SDLT E submission on purchase (4) Bank TT fee
(1) Land reg fee on purchase - No (2) Pre - completion search fees -No, (such conveyancing searches are HMLR ones and means £4 and possibly £2 bankruptcy per name on your mortgage) (3) SDLT E submission on your purchase - There is no VAT on Stamp Duty. However if the firm is charging a stamp duty e-submission fee as part of their services - some Bampton conveyancers do - that will incur VAT(4) Bank transfer fee - Yes it is for the conveyancer's time in submitting the funds this way.