I am selling my flat in Greenfield and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the purchasers are changing their property lawyer. The reason given is that the lender will only work with property lawyers on their approved list. On what basis would a major lender only deal with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Greenfield ?
Banks have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in recent years big names such as Nationwide, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for many years.
Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.
We are soon to exchange on the purchase of a house in Greenfield but as a result of damage from a small fire at the property I have managed to agree recompense from the owner of £2k by way of a reduction in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process yet RBS will not permit this. Should they have been informed?
Any property lawyer being on the RBS approved list is duty bound to disclose to RBS of any changes to the purchase price. If you prohibit your lawyer to notify the price change to RBS then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, RBS and you would have to appoint a new lawyer for your conveyancing in Greenfield.
Should my solicitor be raising questions regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Greenfield.
Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers carrying out conveyancing in Greenfield. Plenty of people will buy a house in Greenfield, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, suitable building insurance, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.
Lawyers are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that can be undertaken by the purchaser or by their conveyancers which should give them a better appreciation of the risks in Greenfield. The conventional set of property information forms sent to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) includes a standard question of the vendor to discover whether the premises has historically flooded. In the event that flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a purchaser could issue a compensation claim resulting from an inaccurate answer. A buyer’s lawyers will also conduct an environmental search. This will disclose if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations should be initiated.
I used Action Conveyancing several years past for my conveyancing in Greenfield. I now require my file but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing 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 Greenfield of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
What is different about your site and other web based conveyancing brokers for conveyancing in Greenfield?
At this site secure a conveyancing quote from a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that understands the issues of your conveyancing in Greenfield. Unlike many estate agents and many comparison sites we do not charge firms a fee if you appoint them for your property ownership legalities in Greenfield
Is it best to instruct a Greenfield conveyancing solicitor who is local to the property I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can perform the legal formalities however they are based over three hundred miles drive away.
The primary upside of using a local Greenfield conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to execute documents, deliver your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. Having local Greenfield know how is a bonus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who instructed your friend and in the main were happy that should surpass using an unknown Greenfield conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being local.