I plan on purchasing a leasehold flat in Bedford Park. My property lawyer is not on the mortgage company solicitor panel. Can I still use my Bedford Park conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the lender panel?
Various options include
- Carry on with your preferred Bedford Park conveyancer but your lender will undoubtedly retain a conveyancing practitioner from their approved list. This will result in additional charges together with probable interruption.
- Get a fresh conveyancing practitioner to act in the purchase, making sure they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
- Appeal to your conveyancing practitioner to apply to join the mortgage company panel
My partner and I are refinancing our apartment in Bedford Park with Yorkshire BS. We have a son 19 who lives at home. Our solicitor requested us to identify any adults other than ourselves who reside at the property. The solicitor has now sent a form for our son to sign, giving up any rights in the event that the apartment is forfeited by the lender. I have a couple of questions (1) Is this document specific to the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we purchased 4 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?
First, rest assured that your Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel solicitor is doing the right thing as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Yorkshire BS. This is solely used to protect Yorkshire BS if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Yorkshire BS had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.
In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Bedford Park? What am I being asked for?
Bedford Park conveyancing solicitors as well as nationwide property practitioners throughout the UK have an obligation under Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules to check the ID of any client with a view to ensure that clients are who they say they are.
Conveyancing clients are required to supply two forms of certified identification; proof of ID (typically a Passport or Driving Licence) and evidence of address (typically a Bank Statement less than 3 months old).
Proof of the origin of funds is also required under the money laundering regulations as conveyancers are required to ensure that the funds you are utilising to purchase a property (be it the exchange deposit or the total purchase amount if you are a cash purchaser) has originated from an acceptable source (such as employment savings) rather than the proceeds of illegitimate activity.
My cousin has suggested that I instruct his lawyers for conveyancing in Bedford Park. Should I find my own solicitor?
No doubt the best way to choose a conveyancing practitioner is to have feedback from friends or relatives who have previously instructed the firm you're are thinking of instructing.
I own a leasehold house in Bedford Park. Conveyancing and Britannia mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing practitioner in Bedford Park who previously acted has now retired. Do I pay?
The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Bedford Park conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without any joy. Can one make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Bedford Park conveyancing firm to represent me?
You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Bedford Park conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Bedford Park property is 169 Southfield Road in September 2013. the tribunal decided that the premium to be paid in respect of the collective enfranchisement should be £51,203 This case was in relation to 2 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 64.64 years.
I see that you have a search directory listing solicitors on the lender conveyancing panel. Do Bedford Park conveyancing firms pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the bank conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Bedford Park.