My lawyer has discovered a defect with the lease for the property we are buying in Kempston. The other side have put forward defective title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor says that he must be satisfied that the lender is willing to move forward with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the bank?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the lender can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your conveyancing practitioner will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
My mortgage company has suggested a law firm on their panel based in Kempston but I would rather choose a conveyancing lawyer in Kempston or nearer to where I live. Are you able to help?
It is by no means the case that all Kempston conveyancing practices are approved and listed on all banks conveyancing panel. Use the above search tool to find a Kempston conveyancing conveyancer on the on the lender panel.
Is there a list of RBS panel solicitors in Kempston on the Building Society Association’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few banks make their panel listings available over the internet. If you are looking for a Kempston conveyancer on the RBS please make the most of our tool.
Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Kempston. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How do I make a complaint?
Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. 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.
Intending to buy a flat in Kempston. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Kempston lawyer is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel.
Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Kempston prior to instructing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. The surveyor has said that some lenders may not grant a loan on a flying freehold home.
It varies from the lender to lender. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Halifax. If you contact us we can look into this further with the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Kempston. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Kempston especially if they are accustomed to such properties in Kempston.
I would like to sublet my leasehold flat in Kempston. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?
The lease governs the relationship between the freeholder and you the flat owner; in particular, it will say if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Kempston do not prevent strict prohibition on subletting – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the property. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the sublease.
I purchased a 2 bed flat in Kempston, conveyancing formalities finalised 8 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Kempston with a long lease are worth £202,000. The ground rent is £60 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2082
With only 56 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as legals.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.
I am considering using an online solicitor rather than a Kempston conveyancing firm. Any advice?
There are advantages of being able to visit a local Kempston conveyancing solicitor for example
- signing documents same day
- having face-to-face explanations of things that you need help with
- the ability to raise concerns if matters are not going as expected
When checking estimates, look carefully for hidden extras. The majority decent Kempston high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Many online companies appear to offer discounted fees, but have hidden 'extras' in the fine print.