My husband and I are planning to acquire a home in Dunstable and have instructed a Dunstable conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Skipton Building Society have this morning contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Dunstable lawyer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is standard for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the mortgage company. 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 Accreditation Scheme. Your solicitor 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 bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Dunstable solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.
I have given 2 months notice to my existing landlord and have to be out of my let out apartment in Dunstable by 23/1/2026. Conveyancing on my purchase is underway. How realistic is it to complete in three weeks as don't want to have to move into temporary accommodation?
Generally one should not serve notice on a rental unless your lawyer suggests that you should. Assuming that you have not already done so, contact to your solicitor and ask them to they seek the assistance the sellers side, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will aim towards
Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my house are lost. The lawyers who handled the conveyancing in Dunstable 10 years ago no longer exist. What are my next steps?
In today’s world there are copies made of almost everything, and your conveyancer will be aware precisely where to look for all the suitable documentation so you may buy or sell your house without a hitch. If duplicates are not available, your lawyer may be able to arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities protecting you against possible claims on your property.
Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Dunstable in advance of instructing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor advised that some lenders may refuse to give a mortgage on a flying freehold home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions from Nationwide. Should you wish to telephone us we can check via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Dunstable. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Dunstable for my house move. Is there any facility to see a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?
Members of the public may review documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from investigations started on or after Jan 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For records Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may monitor telephone calls for training reasons.
I own a leasehold house in Dunstable. Conveyancing and Norwich and Peterborough Building Society mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Dunstable who previously acted has now retired. Do I pay?
First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Dunstable conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
Dunstable Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before buying
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In the main the outlay for major works are not included within service charges, albeit that there some managing agents in Dunstable ask tenants to pay into a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger works. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments?