I am selling my flat in Barton under Needwood and the estate agent has just called to advise that the purchasers are swapping law firm. The reason given is that the lender will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major mortgage company only engage with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to select for their conveyancing in Barton under Needwood ?
UK lenders have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for over 25 years.
Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to disclose 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. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Barton under Needwood. My lender is Tesco Bank
Tesco Bank have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 3/6/2025, the requirements read as follows :
We are purchasing a detached bungalow in Barton under Needwood. Our aim is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will the conveyancing process involve checks to determine if these works are prohibited?
Your solicitor should check the registered title as conveyancing in Barton under Needwood can sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which prevent certain changes or require the consent of another owner. Certain works require local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be sensible to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
I am buying a property in Barton under Needwood. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Nationwide 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 Nationwide your lawyer must comply with the conveyancing instructions set out in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nationwide. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Nationwide where a lease fails to meet these specifications. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not restricted to Barton under Needwood.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Barton under Needwood. My financial adviser suggested a conveyancing practitioner. I paid an advanced payment of £200. Shortly after, the lawyer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the TSB 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 TSB 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 Arc property Solicitors a few years ago for my conveyancing in Barton under Needwood. Now, I need the files however the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing 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 Barton under Needwood of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Barton under Needwood I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Barton under Needwood for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
If you require a mortgage that many years will likely be an issue. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.
In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Barton under Needwood what are the most common lease defects?
Leasehold conveyancing in Barton under Needwood is not unique. Most leases are drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain sections are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:
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Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the building
You will have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Birmingham Midshires, Leeds Building Society, and Clydesdale all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to withdraw.
Barton under Needwood Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing
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For most Barton under Needwood leaseholds the outlay for major works are not included within maintenance charges, although there some managing agents in Barton under Needwood ask leasehold owners to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against major works. How many years are left on the lease?