I am nearing exchange of contracts for my maisonette in Battle and the EA has just called to say that the purchasers are appointing a new conveyancer. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only deal with property lawyers on their approved list. On what basis would a major lender only work with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Battle ?
UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 25 years.
Lenders point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been narrowed 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 says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.
We are planning to acquire a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Battle who is on the TSB approved panel. Can you recommend a local firm?
Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for TSB . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Battle.
The Battle conveyancing lawyers that I appointed last week on my purchase in Battle have suddenly closed. I only went with them because I needed a solicitor on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel and my family Battle lawyer was not. I cut them a cheque for £250 in advance. What are my options?
Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know straight away so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to assist.
What is your number one tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Battle
Do not opt for the cheapest Battle conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.
We are aiming to move home in September. Should my conveyancing solicitor call the removal company on the day of completion. As an aside, can you recommend a removal company in Battle. Conveyancing solicitor was found before I stumbled across your website.
On the afternoon of completion you will need to collect the house keys from the selling agent however this should only occur after the vendors solicitors advise the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be passed over. After that you can tell the removal company that they can start moving you in. As a matter of policy we do not suggest a particular removal company but can help you choose a conveyancing in Battle or a firm with expertise in conveyancing in Battle.
I am buying a property in Battle. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Coventry BS have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that your lender is Coventry BS your lawyer must check the conveyancing requirements outlined in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Coventry BS. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and property lawyers are required to report to Coventry BS where a lease does not satisfy these provisions. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to Battle.
What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Battle conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?
When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Battle conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Battle conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be of use:
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If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason? Can they put you in touch with clients in Battle who can give a testimonial?
I purchased a 2 bed flat in Battle, conveyancing was carried out 6 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable properties in Battle with an extended lease are worth £260,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease ends on 21st October 2099
With only 74 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as costs.
The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.
We are buying a four bedroom flatin Battle with a mortgage from a lender. We wish to instruct our conveyancer in Battle yet our lender says she’s not listed on their "panel". Apparently we need to choose one of the our lender panel firms or stay with our Battle conveyancer and incur the extra legals for one of their panel ones to represent our bank. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. The mortgage company home loan issued is subject to conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender's conveyancing panel. Until recently, most banks had large numbers of law firms on their panels, including almost all conveyancing solicitors in Battle : a mortgagee 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 lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for your lender.