Is the fact that my conveyancer in Higham Ferrers is not listed on my bank's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of his work?
That would more than likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer 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 Higham Ferrers conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
We are buying a flat and need a conveyancing solicitor in Higham Ferrers who is on the Kent Reliance approved panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?
Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Kent Reliance . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Higham Ferrers.
We're in Higham Ferrers, FTBs buying with a mortgage (lender is Virgin Money , and our solicitor is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
is it true that all Higham Ferrers solicitors on the TSB conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the TSB conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. The majority of lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such organisation would be governed by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in February 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Lloyds are being pedantic. The Higham Ferrers solicitor who is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Lloyds are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Lloyds have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Lloyds have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Lloyds may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
Having digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Higham Ferrers solicitor - who is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Yorkshire BS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Yorkshire BS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Higham Ferrers postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Yorkshire BS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Higham Ferrers.
A friend recommended that if I am purchasing in Higham Ferrers I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is sometimes included in the estimate for your Higham Ferrers conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Higham Ferrers around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Higham Ferrers Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Higham Ferrers Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Higham Ferrers.
How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my business offices in Higham Ferrers and how can you help?
The particular law that you refer to affords a safeguard to business leaseholders, giving them the dueness to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Higham Ferrers is one of our many areas of the UK in which the firms we work with have offices