I am progressing with the sale of my flat in Hartford and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the purchasers are swapping property lawyer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major lender only engage with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Hartford ?
UK lenders have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as Nationwide, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for many years.
Lending institutions justify this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.
I am buying a brand new duplex in Hartford and my solicitor is telling me that she is duty bound to the lender to reveal incentives from the seller. I am on a tight deadline to sign contracts and I would rather not prolong deal. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your conveyancer. A precondition to being on a bank panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Hartford? Is this really necessary?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering laws require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the ID of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing retainer. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt reaffirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. Where you are unwilling to hand over identification documents, your solicitor would not be able to accept instructions from you.
Will commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that could impact a commercial land in Hartford?
Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Hartford will conduct a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers expend in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Hartford. The report provides definitive information 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 Hartford.
For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Hartford it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately can result in delays to Hartford commercial conveyancing deals as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not ordered for residential conveyancing in Hartford.
Are there any apps to assist me to identify a Hartford solicitor on the Yorkshire Building Society conveyancing panel? I am a keen cyclist and am prepared to travel upto 10kilometers to meet the lawyer.
Feel free to make use of the facility on this website. Please select a mortgage company and your location and you will see a number of Hartford conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have detailed some Hartford conveyancing firms towards the end of this page and you can ring them to see whether they are on the Yorkshire Building Society panel
To what extent are Hartford conveyancing solicitors under an obligation to the Law Society to issue clear conveyancing costs?
Contained within the Solicitors Code of Conduct are prescriptive rules and regulations as to how the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) allow solicitors to publicise their charges to clients.The Law Society have practice note giving advice on how to publicise transparent charges to avoid breaching any such rule. Practice notes are not legal advice issued by the Law Society and is not intended as the only standard of good practice a conveyancing solicitor should adhere to. The Practice Note does, however, represent the Law Society’s view of acceptable practice for publicising conveyancing charges, and accordingly it’s a recommended read for any solicitor or conveyancer in Hartford or further afield.