Me and my fiance are purchasing a 3 bedroom flat in Kingswood with a mortgage. We have a Kingswood lawyer, however the lender says he's not on their "panel". It seems we have no choice but to select one of the bank panel firms or keep our Kingswood property lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to represent them. This seems very unfair; can we not insist that the lender use our Kingswood lawyer ?
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. Another option that might be available is for your Kingswood conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
When does exchange of contracts happen for residential conveyancing in Kingswood and am I required to be at the lawyers office?
Where you are in close proximity to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Kingswood you are welcome to come in to sign documents. That being said, the law practices we recommend offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and give as equally diligent and professional a job for you when communicating with you by post or email. The signing of the sale agreement is not when everything is set in stone. A signed contract is necessary for the conveyancer to exchange contracts when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a long "chain" is involved, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Kingswood)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.
A friend advised me that where I am purchasing in Kingswood I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Kingswood conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Kingswood around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Kingswood.
How does conveyancing in Kingswood differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Kingswood contact us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is constructed. This is because developers in Kingswood usually buy the real estate, 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 Kingswood or who has acted in the same development.
I'm refinancing my primary home to a buy to let mortgage with Birmingham Midshires and intend to use the remaining equity as a down payment on a second property. The location we are talking about is Kingswood. Will your lawyers be able to act for both sets of lenders and tie in the two deals?
Make use of our search tool on this page to ensure that the lawyers are on the relevant lender panels. Assuming that they are the solicitor will be able to tie up the two transactions but you should have a chat with you lawyer and specify your desired outcome and needs.
We're first time buyers - agreed a price, but the selling agent informed us that the seller will only proceed if we use their preferred solicitors as they are insisting on a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a high street conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Kingswood
We suspect that the seller is not behind this ultimatum. If they desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a serious buyer is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Bypass the agents and go straight to the owners and make sure they understand (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to go, with finances in place © you are chain free (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you will continue to appoint your preferred Kingswood conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will give the negotiator at the agency a kickback or meet his conveyancing thresholds set by senior management.