Is the fact that my conveyancer in Hertfordshire is not on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the Hertfordshire conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
I sincerely hope you can help me. My Hertfordshire conveyancer is advising me that he is legally obliged toapply for Hertfordshire conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the Virgin Moneyconveyancing panel. Do I not have a choice here?
You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a mortgage with a mortgage company your property lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Hertfordshire conveyancing searches.
Finally the sale completed on my house in Hertfordshire last June yet the purchaser is e-mailing daily complaining that their conveyancer is waiting to hear from mine. What are the post completion sale legalities now that I have sold?
Following your sale your lawyer should deliver the transfer documentation and all additional paperwork to the purchaser's lawyers. Depending on the transaction, your lawyer must also confirm that the mortgage has been paid off to the purchasers lawyers. There are no post completion tasks specific conveyancing in Hertfordshire.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with UBS. Hertfordshire conveyancing practitioners are instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from UBS?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have UBS conducted the valuation? Have you informed UBS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the UBS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
I have a mortgage with Skipton for my property in Hertfordshire. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. Should I wish to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Skipton?
Your original mortgage agreement with Skipton will provide that you need their approval before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Skipton’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies 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 Skipton directly. You need not do this via a Skipton conveyancing panel lawyer.
My offer was accepted on a property in Hertfordshire on 13/8/2025, valuation was booked five days later, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer appointed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to UBS and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the UBS conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for UBS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the UBS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
I have justdiscovered that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Hertfordshire for a purchase of a leasehold flat 12 months ago. How can I check that the property is registered correctly in the name of the previous owner?
The easiest way to check if the premises is registered to you, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Hertfordshire conveyancing specialists.
How does conveyancing in Hertfordshire differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Hertfordshire approach us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because house builders in Hertfordshire usually purchase 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 Hertfordshire or who has acted in the same development.