I am nearing exchange of contracts for my flat in Benfleet and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the purchasers are switching solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a big named lender only engage with certain law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Benfleet ?
UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Santander, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for over 25 years.
Mortgage companies point to the increase 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 being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms 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. The purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.
My wife and I own a semi-detached Victorian house in Benfleet. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and The Royal Bank of Scotland. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Benfleet and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the situation with your conveyancing practitioner who completed the work.
Are there any apps to help locate a Benfleet law firm on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel? I am a keen cyclist and am happy to travel upto 25kilometers to meet the lawyer.
You can use the facility on this page. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of Benfleet conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have listed some Benfleet conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can telephone them to check if they are on the Bank of Scotland member panel
I need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Benfleet for my home move. Can I check a firm’s record with the profession’s regulator?
Members of the public may find published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes monitor telephone calls for training reasons.
Back In 2008, I bought a leasehold house in Benfleet. Conveyancing and Lloyds TSB Bank mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing solicitor in Benfleet who previously acted has long since retired. Do I pay?
The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Benfleet conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.
I bought a garden flat in Benfleet, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Benfleet with over 90 years remaining are worth £185,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 yearly. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2086
With only 61 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £18,100 and £20,800 plus legals.
The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.
I am buying a garden maisonette in Benfleet. Conveyancing solicitor has been waiting for, from the seller, building insurance documents. Earlier today I was informed that the vendor must forward the insurance paperwork for the flat above also. Why does my property lawyer need to see the insurance for the other flat? Is it really necessary? We have been waiting for the previous fortnight…
It is not impossible in leasehold conveyancing in Benfleet to find Conveyancing in Benfleet in a minority of cases reveals that the lease provides for the tenant's to insure their individual flats as opposed to the freeholder insuring the complete building - which is definitely preferable. Do double check with your solicitor but it would appear that your conveyancer is attempting to establish that the entire building is insured. Insuring your apartment is no help when it comes to rebuilding after a fire if the 1st floor cannot be reinstated due to lack of insurance.