I am nearing exchange of contracts for my apartment in Chipping Barnet and the EA has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are switching solicitor. The reason given is that the mortgage company will only engage with property lawyers on their approved list. Why would a big named mortgage company only deal with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Chipping Barnet ?
Lenders have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Santander, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for many years.
Lending institutions blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some 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. Your buyers are not going to have any impact on this.
We are a couple about to exchange contracts for a garden flat in Chipping Barnet. We encountered a stumbling block. The mortgage offer with Birmingham Midshires expires on 5/8/2026 but the owners are insisting on a completion date of 7/8/2026. Is it possible to extend the loan expiry date?
The person best placed to address this concern is your conveyancer who will assess whether he or she is corresponding with the bank, seller’s lawyers, selling agents or possibly all three based on the history of your conveyancing as of today.
We wanted to use a property lawyer in Chipping Barnet for our house move. Our financial adviser has since notified us that our mortgage lenders Barclays won't deal with them. Surely this is unfair competition?
A mortgage company may insist on a panel solicitor act for it. You would be liable to meet the charges for this. Please make use of our database to choose a solicitor to carry conveyancing in Chipping Barnet on the Barclays approved list of solicitors.
A friend advised me that where I am buying in Chipping Barnet I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is occasionally included in the estimate for your Chipping Barnet conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Chipping Barnet around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Chipping Barnet Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Chipping Barnet.
I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for residential conveyancing in Chipping Barnet. I've land on a site which looks to be the perfect solution If there is a chance to get all formalities completed via email that would be ideal. Do I need to be wary? What should out be looking out for?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
I only have Sixty One years remaining on my lease in Chipping Barnet. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is can not be found. What are my options?
On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the Court. You will be obliged to prove that you have used your best endeavours to locate the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent would be useful to carry out a search and prepare an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Chipping Barnet.
I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord to extend my lease without any joy. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decide on such issues? Can you recommend a Chipping Barnet conveyancing firm to help?
Where there is a missing freeholder or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to assess the premium.
An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Chipping Barnet residence is Flat 2 2 Netherfield Road in April 2010. The Tribunale held that premium payable for a 90 year extension to the existing Lease should be £7,705. This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 76 years.