My fiance’s uncle is a solicitor. I suspect that I will be offered mate’s pricing for conveyancing, However if that does not come through, what level of figure would I typically be looking at for conveyancing in Hadfield?
It’s a good idea to obtain multiple conveyancing quotes. Make use of our search tool on this site. You will notice that estimates seem to vary but the service one can expect are distinct between property lawyers as is the case with most professions.
The Hadfield conveyancing solicitors that just started acting on my purchase in Hadfield have suddenly closed. I only went with them because I needed a firm on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel and my preferred Hadfield lawyer was not. I cut them a cheque for £250 in advance. What should be my next steps?
If you have an estate agent involved then inform them immediately so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors may be able to help.
We previously selected conveyancing lawyers with offices in Hadfield on the Virgin Money solicitor approved list. They are now charging me a further amount for the legal aspects of the Virgin Money mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by Virgin Money?
Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your lawyer may levy a fee for this. This charge is not set by Virgin Money but by your Hadfield conveyancer. Some firms on the Virgin Money panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.
I am buying a property in Hadfield. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Nottingham have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that your lender is Nottingham your lawyer must follow the formal instructions set out in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nottingham. The CML Handbook sets out minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Nottingham where a lease does not satisfy these conditions. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not isolated to Hadfield.
Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Hadfield solicitor - who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Co-operative will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Co-operative 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 Hadfield 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 friend suggested that where I am purchasing in Hadfield I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Hadfield conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Hadfield around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Hadfield.
I am purchasing a new build house in Hadfield with a mortgage from Halifax. The sellers would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not to tell my lawyer about this side-deal as it could affect my mortgage with Halifax. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my business property in Hadfield and how can your lawyers assist?
The 1954 Act gives security of tenure to business tenants, granting the a statutory right to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease comes to an end. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Hadfield is one of our numerous locations in which our lawyers are based