My husband and I are looking to purchase a flat in Creekmouth and have instructed a Creekmouth conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our conveyancer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. Birmingham Midshires have this evening contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our Creekmouth solicitor is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is conventional for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Creekmouth solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.
Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a search tool with a view to list law firms on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel for instance in Creekmouth?
We have not been informed any intention on the part of the BSA to develop such a search facility.
Will our conveyancer be raising questions about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Creekmouth.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors dealing with homes in Creekmouth. Plenty of people will buy a house in Creekmouth, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the buyer.
Lawyers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous searches that can be initiated by the purchaser or by their lawyers which will figure out the risks in Creekmouth. The standard property information forms supplied to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a usual inquiry of the owner to discover whether the premises has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred and is not revealed by the owner, then a purchaser may bring a claim for damages resulting from an misleading response. A purchaser’s lawyers should also order an enviro search. This will indicate if there is any known flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be initiated.
I used Stirling Law a few years past for my conveyancing in Creekmouth. I now require my papers but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Creekmouth of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Creekmouth before instructing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. Our surveyor has said that some mortgage companies will not grant a mortgage on such a home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements from Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to call us we can check via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Creekmouth. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
My business partner and I are planning to take over a lease of an office on the high street. Can you recommend solicitors offering no-sale-no fees for non-domestic conveyancing in Creekmouth for below £2000?
We can recommend firms who have an in-depth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Creekmouth, including the disposal and acquisition of businesses as well as simply property. If you are looking to purchase or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail unit or a whole business we will find you the right lawyer. Regarding the fees these will vary based on the structure and complexity of the proposed transaction. Please provide us with your contact information or call so as to enable us to provide you with a detailed commercial conveyancing calculation.