I am selling my maisonette in Church Village and the EA has just called to warn that the purchasers are swapping property lawyer. The excuse is that the lender will only work with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a major mortgage company only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Church Village ?
UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Nationwide, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for many years.
Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. 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. Plenty of firms 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.
Do the conveyancing solicitors identified via your search tool carry out conveyancing in Church Village by way of an attended exchange?
We do have a number of conveyancing specialists carrying out attended exchanges. You should contact us to obtain a fee calculation and details as to dates.
I have 71 years unexpired on my lease and need a lease extension for my apartment in Church Village. Conveyancing solicitors on the Virgin panel can deal with such extensions correct?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 9/1/2026 the requirements read as follows :
I have recentlyfound out that Action Conveyancing have closed. They carried out my conveyancing in Church Village for a purchase of a freehold house 10 months ago. How can I be sure that the property is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?
The easiest way to see if the property is registered to you, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Church Village conveyancing specialists.
Just had an offer accepted on a new build flat in Church Village. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.
Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Church Village
-
Please supply a car parking plan. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.
Taking into account that I am about to spend over three hundred thousand on 3 bedroom house in Church Village I would like to have a conversation with the solicitor about myhouse move prior to giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?
Absolutely - we would be pleased to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the conveyancer due to be doing your conveyancing in Church Village.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important individual, not a file reference. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for your conveyancing in Church Village should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.