My fiance and I are looking to purchase a home in Handsworth and are in fact using a Handsworth conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Britannia have this morning contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our Handsworth conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is normal for the purchasers' lawyers 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 Quality Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Handsworth lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
Would the conveyancing lawyers via your comparison service conduct attended exchange conveyancing in Handsworth?
There are a few conveyancing specialists who can conduct personalised exchanges. Do contact us to receive a costs illustration and details as to dates.
I am buying a garden flat in Handsworth. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Handsworth you will have to appoint a solicitor on your bank's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Handsworth.
I used Wolstenholmes several years ago for my conveyancing in Handsworth. Now, I need my files however the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should contact 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 Handsworth of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I have been advised by a number of property agents in Handsworth to find a solicitor using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to offer your site ahead of another?
We refuse to give any commission for sending work in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.
For various reasons I am unfit to get to my Handsworth conveyancing practitioners office to sign documents connected to my conveyancing in Handsworth – will this be an issue?
You need not be concerned. Handsworth conveyancing solicitors can undertake home moves for clients across the country. You are unlikely to be required to attend a Handsworth conveyancers office. Almost all property lawyer can handle all communications remotely from their Handsworth premises.