Me and my fiance are purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in Harrow on the Hill with a mortgage. We have a Harrow on the Hill lawyer, but the bank advise he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel firms or retain our Harrow on the Hill property lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. We regard this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Harrow on the Hill conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
The housing market in Harrow on the Hill is hotting up. What can I do to expedite matters?
In the event that the seller is applying pressure to sign contracts it is advisable to make sure that your conveyancer is familiar with the area as they will have local connections and intelligence. It is even conceivable that they would have transacted otherproperties in the same neighbourhood. Therefore consider using a Harrow on the Hill conveyancing firm. In addition, check that the lawyer is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is claimed that nearly one in five of Harrow on the Hill conveyancing deals are delayed or jeopardised after discovering a purchaser’s lawyer was not on their banks member panel. In many cases this discovery resulted in the conveyancing being frustrated by almost 21 days. It is claimed that this issue affects approximately 100,000 home moves annually. Many Harrow on the Hill conveyancing firms can not represent certain banks so do check as early as possible.
We see that you have a post code search directory listing firms on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I retain them for our own conveyancing in Harrow on the Hill?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Harrow on the Hill.
I used Action Conveyancing a few years past for my conveyancing in Harrow on the Hill. Now, I need the files but the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate 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 Harrow on the Hill 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.
I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and found one near me in Harrow on the Hill I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, however it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Harrow on the Hill in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?
If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least twenty four months you may ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.
I am just shy of a 10% deposit on my apartment purchase in Harrow on the Hill , but I am keen exchange. Do I have options?
You can accept a smaller deposit. Most property owners will agree to a lower deposit or even no deposit for a first time buyer or 100% mortgage. Be aware though that if you fail to complete you will still need to hand over a minimum of 10% of the purchase price regardless of how much deposit was agreed.
You can also agree a simultaneous exchange and completion as no deposit is required for this however neither party will be tied in until completion actually takes place and it can be risky if sellers change their mind at the last moment