In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Chertsey? Is this really necessary?
In order to comply with Money Laundering Regulations any Chertsey conveyancing firm will require evidence of your identity in all conveyancing matters. This is normally satisfied by provision of a passport and an original bank statement or utility bill evidencing where you live.
Under Money Laundering Regulations, conveyancers are required to ascertain not simply the ID of conveyancing clients but also the source of monies that they receive in respect of any matter. An unwillingness to disclose this will result in your solicitor terminating their relationship with you, as clearly this will cause a conflict between the set Regulations and a refusal to disclose.
Your conveyancers are duty bound to inform the relevant authorities should they consider that any monies received by them may contravene the Money Laundering Regulations.
I am considering applying for a Lloyds mortgage for purchase of a newly converted (under development) in Chertsey with 60% LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Lloyds ?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Lloyds conveyancing panel, but Lloyds would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.
I am being told by my solicitor that defective lease insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Chertsey conveyancing?
The right level of defective lease indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Accord Mortgages Ltd and Virgin Money. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.
I had an offer accepted on a house in Chertsey on 29/6/2026, valuation was booked 3 days after, received a clean bill of health. Conveyancer appointed, so all that was missing 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?
A lender would 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.
Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Chertsey solicitor - who is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Coventry BS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Coventry BS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Chertsey postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Coventry BS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Chertsey.
Various web forums that I have visited warn that are the primary cause of obstruction in Chertsey conveyancing transactions. Is this right?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the common causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Chertsey.
I am looking for a ground for flat up to £305k and found one close by in Chertsey I like with open areas and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 49 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Chertsey in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.
My brother has recommend that I appoint his conveyancing solicitors in Chertsey. Should I use them?
Much as we are happy to recommend a Chertsey conveyancing lawyer it’s preferable to find a conveyancing practitioner is to get guidance from friends or family who have experience in using the firm you're considering.