Me and my fiance are purchasing a 3 bedroom flat in Kings Heath with a mortgage. We have a Kings Heath solicitor, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It appears that we have no option but to instruct one of the lender panel firms or continue with our Kings Heath lawyer and pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms 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 Kings Heath conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
My Kings Heath solicitor has uncovered a difference between the surveyor’s assumptions in the home valuation report and what is revealed within the legal papers for the property. My lawyer informs me that he is duty bound to ensure that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is content to go ahead. Is my conveyancer’s approach appropriate?
Your solicitor must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Leeds Building Society. Kings Heath conveyancing solicitors have been selected. How long does it take for Leeds Building Society to issue the offer to the solicitor?
There is no definitive answer here. Have Leeds Building Society conducted the valuation? Have you informed Leeds Building Society as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Leeds Building Society. I assume I don't need a Kings Heath property lawyer on the Leeds Building Society panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Leeds Building Society mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Leeds Building Society mortgage from the register. Leeds Building Society, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Leeds Building Society has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Leeds Building Society has instructed the Land Registry to do so
RBS have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a apartment in Kings Heath has been accepted, what are the next steps?
The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (be sure the conveyancers are on the bank’s panel). Contact RBS or your financial adviser and finish off any appropriate paperwork. RBS will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or seller to arrange a time for the valuation to occur. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes about a week for the mortgage offer to be issued. RBS will send the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Kings Heath.
The deeds to my house are lost. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Kings Heath 10 years ago no longer exist. What do I do?
You no longer need to have the physical original deeds to establish that you are the owner of your registered land or premises, given that the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.
I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and found one close by in Kings Heath I like with open areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it only has 52 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Kings Heath in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?
Should you need a home loan that many years will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.
I am looking into buying my first house which is in Kings Heath and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Kings Heath. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Kings Heath area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?
Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Kings Heath. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found