My partner and I are intent on buying a flat in Hartfield. My lawyer has never been on on the mortgage company solicitor panel. Is it possible for me to appoint my Hartfield conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the bank panel?
One must appoint a lawyer to deal with the legal work required when you require a loan to buy your property. The lawyer will carry out all the relevant due diligence on the property, make sure that you will be properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the required mortgage documentation is dealt with. One can instruct a Hartfield lawyer of your choice. Nevertheless, where the lawyer selected is not on the bank solicitor panel further charges will be levied as separate legal representation will be required by them. Lender panel applications can be submitted, so where your lawyer has not previously sought membership they should do so.
About to place an offer on a leasehold flat in Hartfield. The selling agents advise that it is normal for flats in Hartfield to have less than 75 years left on the lease. I am getting a mortgage with Accord Mortgages. Will the property be mortgageable given that the lease has 72 years to go.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 25/7/2025 the requirements read as follows :
I am purchasing a property in Hartfield. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Nottingham be concerned?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Nottingham your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions outlined in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nottingham. The CML Handbook sets out minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancers are required to report to Nottingham where a lease does not comply with these provisions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not limited to Hartfield.
The mortgage over my property is with Principality for my property in Hartfield. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Principality?
Your original mortgage agreement with Principality will provide that you need their approval in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Principality’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Principality will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Principality directly. You need not do this via a Principality conveyancing panel lawyer.
After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Hartfield. My mortgage broker suggested a property lawyer. I paid an upfront payment of £150. A couple of days later, the property lawyer contacted me to say that they were not on the Principality conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Principality panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Should commercial conveyancing searches reveal planned roadworks that could affect a commercial premises in Hartfield?
Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Hartfield will carry out a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers invest in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Hartfield. The report provides definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Hartfield.
For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Hartfield it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately may result in delays to Hartfield commercial conveyancing transactions as well as pose a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not carried out for domestic conveyancing in Hartfield.
My wife and I purchased a 4 bedroom Victorian house in Hartfield. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Bank of Ireland. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Hartfield and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also question the situation with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the purchase.
Our solicitor in Hartfield has identified a a problem with the lease for the property we are buying in Hartfield. The other side have offered title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our lawyer has advised that as he is on the lender conveyancing panel he must ensure that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the lender?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the bank are the client. A precondition to being on the mortgage company approved panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that the mortgage company can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.