My husband and I are acquiring a brand new flat in Grappenhall and my lawyer is informing me that she has to the lender to disclose incentives from the developer. I am on a tight deadline to sign contracts and I don't want to prolong matters. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your conveyancer. A precondition to being on a bank panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
My uncle passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Grappenhall. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Coventry BS, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?
Where you plan to refinance then Coventry BS will require that you use a conveyancer on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Coventry BS conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Coventry BS mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
I'm the only beneficiary of my late grandmother’s will with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Grappenhall. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in September. I now wish to sell up. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the house in September. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?
The CML handbook mandates conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you may be affected by that. How practical a view mortgage companies take of it, depend on the lender as this obligation is primarily there to identify subsales or the quick reselling of property.
The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Grappenhall. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?
Almost all banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.
I have instructed a Grappenhall solicitor having checked that they are on the RBS conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
RBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually RBS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Grappenhall surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
My wife and I are downsizing from our house in Grappenhall and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed land that was not decontaminated. A high street Grappenhall conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed a nationwide conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Grappenhall. We have lived in Grappenhall for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to obtain clarification that there is no issue.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You must enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)
Me and my brother have a semi-detached Georgian house in Grappenhall. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Nottingham Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Grappenhall and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the position with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.
Am I right to be suspicious that third parties that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use an internet conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Grappenhall conveyancing practice?
As is the case with many service providers, often input from connections can be very helpful. But there are many people with a vested interest in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders might all suggest solicitors to instruct. On occasion these solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but occasionally there exists a financial incentive behind the recommendation. You have the discretion to select your preferred conveyancer. However, bear in mind that the majority of banks operate an approved list of lawyers you have to use for the lender aspect of your conveyancing.