Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Bitterne is not on my bank's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of his conveyancing?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the Bitterne conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
At what point does exchange of contracts occur in purchase conveyancing in Bitterne and am I required to attend the solicitors branch?
If you are near to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Bitterne you are welcome to come in to sign contracts. However, the firms we work with offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide as equally comprehensive and professional a job for you when communicating with you digitally. The signing of the contract is not the important part. Signing on the dotted line simply enables the firm to officially exchange when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a long "chain" is involved, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Bitterne)to be in the office at the appropriate time.
My wife and I buying a 3 bedroom semi in Bitterne. Our aim is to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will the conveyancing process include checks to ascertain if these works were previously refused?
Your solicitor should review the registered title as conveyancing in Bitterne will sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit certain alterations or necessitated the consent of another owner. Many extensions call for local authority planning consent and approval in accordance building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. It would be sensible to check these issues with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Bitterne off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Santander. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Santander, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Santander conveyancing panel.
I had an offer accepted on an apartment in Bitterne on 7/3/2025, valuation was booked 3 days later, all came back fine. Solicitor retained, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to TSB and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the TSB conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for TSB to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the TSB conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
We are downsizing from our home in Bitterne and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed on contaminated land. A local conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the purchasers are using an internet conveyancing firm as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Bitterne. We have lived in Bitterne for six years we know of no issue. Should we contact our local Authority to seek clarification that the buyers are looking for.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same ailment)
I am purchasing my first flat in Bitterne with the aid of help to buy. The developers refused to move on the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative told me not disclose to my solicitor about this side-deal as it may impact my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Bitterne is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can impart?
Flying freeholds in Bitterne are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Bitterne you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Bitterne may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.