We are purchasing a 2 bedroom apartment in Chathill with a mortgage. We have a Chathill lawyer, but the lender says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel solicitors or retain our Chathill lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to act for them. We regard this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower 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 Chathill conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
It is 10 years ago since I purchased my home in Chathill. Conveyancing lawyers have now been retained on the sale but I can't find my deeds. Will this cause complications?
You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be kept by the mortgage company or they may still be with the lawyers who handled the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Chathill involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.
I can see plenty of information on this site about conveyancing in Chathill but can you isolate your top tip for selecting the right conveyancer in Chathill
We would encourage you not to go for the lowest Chathill conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. 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 know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.
I am helping my mother sell her property in Chathill. Does the conveyancing solicitor order an energy performance certificate or should I organise this?
Following the abolition of HIPs, EPC’s was maintained a required part of selling a property. An energy performance certificate must be commissioned in advance of the property being advertised. It is not something that lawyers ordinarily arrange. Where you are using a Chathill conveyancing solicitor they may help arrange energy assessments due to their contacts with long established local providers
My offer was accepted on an apartment in Chathill on 4/8/2025, valuation was booked five days later, all came back fine. Conveyancer instructed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Principality and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Principality conveyancing panel. Are Principality entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?
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 Principality to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Principality conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
What can a local search inform me about the property we're purchasing in Chathill?
Chathill conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company such as PSG The local search is essential in every Chathill conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any unpleasant surprises after you move into your new home. The search will reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject areas.
Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our house are lost. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Chathill 4 years ago no longer exist. What are my options?
Assuming the title is registered the information relating to your proprietorship will be documented by HMLR with a Title Number. It is possible to carry out a search at the Land Registry, find your house and secure up to date copies of the Registered Entries for less than a fiver. If the property is Leasehold then the Land Registry will usually hold a file copy of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be retrieved for a small fee.
In searching the world wide web for the words on line conveyancing in Chathill it brings up many conveyancersin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right solicitor for purchase transaction?
The preferential way of choosing the right conveyancer is through a trusted recommendation, so enquire of colleagues and those you trust who have bought a property in Chathill or a reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Fees for conveyancing in Chathill vary, so it's sensible to secure a minimum of three estimates from different companies. Dont forget to clarify that the charges are guaranteed not to increase.