I am selling my house in King's Cross. Does the property lawyer have to be on the Barclays conveyancing panel in order to deal with the discharge of my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Barclays conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their conditions fairly frequently currently.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as FTB of a two bedroom flat in King's Cross. Do I receive the keys to the house on completion from my lawyer? If so, I will use a High Street conveyancing solicitor in King's Cross?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the completion advance to the vendor’s conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be able to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. Usually this occurs early afternoon.
is it true that all King's Cross conveyancing solicitors on the Nationwide conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Nationwide conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many banks do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the practice would be governed by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
I have finally had an offer on an apartment in King's Cross accepted, but there is a chain. The sellers have put an offer on somewhere, but it’s not yet tied up, and have viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in King's Cross. What do I do now? At what stage should I apply for the mortgage with Clydesdale?
It is usual to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is approx one thousand pounds, then survey, King's Cross conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you should ensure that your solicitor is on the Clydesdale approved list. Regarding the next steps this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market some home buyers would apply for the mortgage with Clydesdale and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their lawyer to proceed with searches.
I used Stirling Law several years ago for my conveyancing in King's Cross. Now, I need my files however cannot find the solicitor. 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 King's Cross 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.
I'm buying a new build house in King's Cross with a mortgage from Virgin Money. The developers refused to move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not inform my solicitor about the deal as it may affect my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
Given that I will soon spend £400,000 on a two bedroom apartment in King's Cross I would like to have a conversation with the solicitor about myhome move before instructing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?
This is something that we recommend - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the conveyancer due to be carrying out your property ownership legalities in King's Cross.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a case number. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for your conveyancing in King's Cross should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.
My husband and I are first time buyers - agreed a price, but the property agent informed us that the seller will only move forward if we appoint their chosen lawyers as they need an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family conveyancer who is accustomed to conveyancing in King's Cross
We suspect that the seller is not behind this request. Should the owner want ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a serious buyer is not the way to achieve this. Avoid the agents and go straight to the owners and explain that (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you will continue to appoint your own,trusted King's Cross conveyancing firm - not the ones that will earn their estate agent a referral fee or meet his conveyancing targets pre-set by HQ.