Are the BSA intent on creating a search tool with a view to list firms on the Melton Mowbray Building Society conveyancing panel for instance in Harlesden?
Lexsure has not been advised of any plans on the part of the BSA to develop such a tool.
Is it the case that all Harlesden solicitor practices on the TSB conveyancing panel are overseen by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the TSB conveyancing panel they would need to be governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many mortgage companies do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in such a situation the practice would be governed by the CLC.
We had selected solicitors with offices in Harlesden on the RBS solicitor panel. They are now charging me a supplemental fee for the legal aspects of the RBS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by RBS?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your property lawyer can charge a fee for this. The fee is not set by RBS but by your Harlesden property lawyer. Some firms on the RBS panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Bank of Ireland. I assume I don't need a Harlesden lawyer on the Bank of Ireland panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Bank of Ireland mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Bank of Ireland mortgage from the register. Bank of Ireland, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Bank of Ireland has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Bank of Ireland has instructed the Land Registry to do so
My partner and I are selling our home in Harlesden and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. A local lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers are using an online conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Harlesden. We have lived in Harlesden for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to seek confirmation need.
It sounds as though you may 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 sickness)
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Harlesden?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Harlesden. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
I am purchasing a new build house in Harlesden with a loan from Platform Home Loans Ltd. The developers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent told me not inform my lawyer about the deal as it would jeopardize my loan with Platform Home Loans Ltd. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and identified one round the corner in Harlesden I like with a park and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 51 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Harlesden in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?
If you need a mortgage that many years may be an issue. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.