I am not in a position to travel far from Barnes. What is the rationale as to why all Barnes conveyancing practitioners are not on all bank panels?
Pre- 2008 most banks had an attitude to risk which differs from the current day. The financial regulator in 2010 instigated a thematic review into fraud which concluded: know the conveyancers on your panel. Accordingly, lenders have since looked to extract more data from law firms regarding their operations and the individuals employed by them and set certain criteria such as completing a minimum number of transactions. Many firms have been excluded from lender panels even though they had 100% healthy disciplinary record, no complaints and zero claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Many firms were never going to satisfy the minimum volume of transactions the lenders insisted on.
Is it possible for conveyancing in Barnes to be done within a month?
Where you are under a tight deadline for your conveyancing it is highly recommended that your solicitor is familiar with the area as they will benefit local connections and insight. It is possible that they would have transacted otherproperties in the same street. Therefore consider using a Barnes conveyancing lawyer. In addition, be sure that the lawyer is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is claimed that 18% of Barnes conveyancing deals are held up or jeopardised after discovering a purchaser’s lawyer was not on their mortgage lender’s member panel. In many cases this discovery resulted in the conveyancing being held up by an average of three weeks. It is believed that this issue affects approximately 100,000 home moves annually. Almost all Barnes conveyancing firms can not represent certain mortgage companies so do check as early as possible.
When reviewing mumsnet.com for an online solicitor in Barnes, many comment that I should use a CQS assured solicitor. Can you explain what CQS is?
Barnes Conveyancing Quality Scheme solicitors have achieved certification by the law Society CQS was created to promote high standards in the home legal process. CQS helps buyers and sellers to identify practices that provide a quality residential conveyancing. Barnes is one of the many areas in England and Wales in which accredited firms have a presence. The scheme obliges law firms to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self-reporting, spot checks and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status. It is available to solicitors and not licensed conveyancers and has the support of the Association of British Insurers.
A colleague informed me that in buying a property in Barnes there could be various restrictions preventing external changes to the property. Is this right?
There are anumerous of properties in Barnes which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external variations. Part of the conveyancing in Barnes should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
We were going to get a OIP from Skipton this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Skipton recommend any Barnes solicitors on the Skipton conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Barnes solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Skipton conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Skipton through the process.
I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in April 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Nottingham are being pedantic. The Barnes solicitor who is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Nottingham are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Nottingham have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Nottingham have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nottingham may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
I'm purchasing a new build house in Barnes benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to reduce the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative advised me not to tell my lawyer about this extras as it will adversely affect my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
My cousin has encouraged me to appoint his conveyancers in Barnes. Do I follow his advice?
No doubt the ideal way to select a conveyancing lawyer is to get guidance from friends or family who have used the solicitor that you are considering.