I am nearing exchange of contracts for my ground floor flat in Cheetham and the EA has just e-mailed to advise that the buyers are switching conveyancer. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only work with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a major lender only work with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Cheetham ?
Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.
Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened 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 hearing daily from firms 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. Your buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.
Would the conveyancing solicitors via your comparison service execute attended exchange conveyancing in Cheetham?
There are a few conveyancing experts who can conduct 24hr exchanges. You should e-mail us to receive a costs illustration and details as to dates.
Completed the sale of my flat in Cheetham last March but our buyer keeps telephoning daily to say their solicitor is waiting to hear from mine. What are the post completion sale formalities now that I have sold?
After completion of your sale your conveyancer is obliged to forward the transfer documentation and all of the paperwork to the purchaser's lawyers. Depending on the transaction, your solicitor must also confirm that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been discharged to the buyers solicitors. There are no post completion procedures peculiar conveyancing in Cheetham.
My wife and I buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Cheetham. Our aim is to carry out an extension to the side at the house.Will legal work on the property include investigations to see if these works were previously refused?
Your solicitor will check the registered title as conveyancing in Cheetham can on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit certain changes or necessitated the consent of a 3rd party. Some extensions need local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Cheetham. I have a mortgage offer with Barclays. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have 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 Barclays, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Barclays conveyancing panel.
Our sealed bid on a semi in Cheetham has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have put an offer on a flat, but it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other properties booked. I have instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in Cheetham. What do I do now? At what point do I apply for the mortgage with Barclays?
It is normal to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Cheetham conveyancing search charges, etc). The first thing to do is ensure that your property lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Regarding the subsequent steps this very much depends on the uniqueness of your case, motivation for this property and on the state of the market. During a rising market the majority of purchasers will apply for the mortgage with Barclays and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their property lawyer to proceed with searches.
I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our property in Cheetham and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being built land that was not decontaminated. A high street Cheetham conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the purchasers used an online conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Cheetham. We have lived in Cheetham for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Should we get in touch with 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 illness)
Why do I have to send my property lawyer with various items of ID ahead of starting selling or purchasing a property in Cheetham?
Cheetham property lawyers are required by the Law Society, SRA, HMLR and current AML Regulations to record that the have checked the identity of their clients. It will also be a condition of your mortgage offer. Furthermore they have to complete various forms, particularly those relating to Land Tax and need to have information such as your full names, national insurance number and date of birth.