It has come to my attention via my lender that my Dorchester property lawyer is not on the mortgage company Solicitor panel. How can I check?
You need to call your Dorchester lawyer directly. You lawyer should advise you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they may be able to suggest a Dorchester conveyancing firm that is on the approved list of lawyers for your mortgage company.
Can you clarify what the consequences are if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the UBS Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Dorchester?
The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Santander, do Dorchester conveyancers incur an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are not aware of any lender fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.
Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. Dorchester conveyancing solicitors have been appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Santander?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Santander completed the survey? Have you informed Santander as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Santander conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Clydesdale. Is it usual for Clydesdale to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Dorchester is approved on their conveyancing panel? Clydesdale have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance Schedule.
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Clydesdale to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
What will a local search inform me regarding the house I am purchasing in Dorchester?
Dorchester conveyancing often commences with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations such as Searchflow The local search plays a central part in most Dorchester conveyancing purchase; that is if you don’t want any unpleasant surprises after you move into your new home. The search should reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject headings.
What does commercial conveyancing in Dorchester cover?
Dorchester conveyancing for business premises incorporates a wide range of advice, offered by regulated solicitors, relating to business property. For example, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more commonly, the transfer of existing business tenancies or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of leases.
I have today had an offer accepted on a leasehold flat in Dorchester and the estate agent that we are using suggested his conveyancer. She quoted £900 excluding VAT and 3rd party costs. Does this sound steep?
You should not rely on a single estimate. One should obtain like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in Dorchester. Then choose one that you trust and just as important, is on the approved list of the lender that you have applied for a mortgage from.