It is 10 years ago since I bought my home in Hertford. Conveyancing solicitors have now been appointed on the sale but I can't find my title documents. Is this a major issue?
You need not be too concerned. First there is a chance that the deeds will be retained by your mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the solicitor who oversaw your purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Hertford involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is not registered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.
We are purchasing a newbuild flat in Hertford with a homeloan from Barclays .We use our Hertford conveyancing practitioner but Barclays advised that her practice is not listed on their "panel". It seems we have little choice but to instruct a Barclays panel solicitor or keep our high street solicitor and fork out for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Barclays use our lawyer?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that conveyancers must be on the Barclays solicitor panel. in the past, most mortgage companies had large numbers of solicitors 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 solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Barclays
I am buying a detached bungalow in Hertford. Our aim is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will the conveyancing process include checks to ascertain if these works are prohibited?
Your conveyancer should check the registered title as conveyancing in Hertford will sometimes identify restrictions in the title documents which prevent categories of works or require the permission of a 3rd party. Certain additions require local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.
Is it the case that all Hertford conveyancing solicitors on the Nottingham conveyancing panel are overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Nottingham approved list of solicitors they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. The majority of mortgage companies do list licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such practice would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Hertford. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?
Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.
I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Hertford. Now, I need the files but the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should contact 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 Hertford of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I am buying a new build flat in Hertford. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.
Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Hertford
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Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier?
How do I identify a Hertford law firm on the Alliance & Leicester conveyancing panel? I have a car and am happy to travel upto 10miles to meet the conveyancer.
You can use the facility on this website. Please choose the bank and your location and you will see a number of Hertford conveyancing lawyers based on proximity. We have detailed some Hertford conveyancing firms towards the end of this page and you can telephone them to verify whether they are on the Alliance & Leicester approved list