It is 10 years ago since I bought my home in Hawkshead. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been instructed on the sale but I can't track down my title deeds. Will this jeopardise the sale?
You need not be too concerned. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be retained by your mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who acted in your purchase. Secondly in all probability the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Hawkshead relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.
I have been told that property searches are the main reason for stalling in Hawkshead conveyancing transactions. Is that correct?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the top 10 causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Searches are unlikely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in Hawkshead.
I used Wolstenholmes several years past for my conveyancing in Hawkshead. I now require my papers however the law firm has closed. What do I do?
Do 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 Hawkshead 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.
How does conveyancing in Hawkshead differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Hawkshead contact us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because house builders in Hawkshead typically acquire the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Hawkshead or who has acted in the same development.
How do I search for a Hawkshead law firm on the Halifax conveyancing panel? I am a keen cyclist and am prepared to travel upto 20kilometers to meet the solicitor.
You can use the facility on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of Hawkshead conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have listed some Hawkshead conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can ring them to see if they are on the Halifax member panel
My brother has suggested that I use his conveyancing solicitors in Hawkshead. Should I find my own solicitor?
Much as we are happy to recommend a Hawkshead conveyancing lawyer the best way to choose a conveyancing lawyer is to seek recommendations from friends or relatives who have experience in using the solicitor you're are thinking of instructing.