As a novice what is the most important advice you can give me concerning purchase conveyancing in Langstone?
You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Langstone and elsewhere in England and Wales is often a confrontational process. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there is lots of room for confrontation between you and other parties involved in the house moving process. E.g., the vendor, property agent and on occasion a mortgage company. Selecting a solicitor for your conveyancing in Langstone an important selection as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the process whose responsibility is to look after your legal interests and to keep you safe.
We are witnessing a worrying increase of a "blame" culture- someone has to be blamed for the process being so protracted. We recommend that you your first instinct should be to trust your lawyer above the other players in the home moving process.
We're in Langstone, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Co-operative , and our lawyer is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancing practitioner 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.
We are buying a detached bungalow in Langstone. The intention is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will legal due diligence on the property include checks to see if these alterations are permitted?
Your property lawyer should review the registered title as conveyancing in Langstone will occasionally reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prevent categories of changes or require the consent of a 3rd party. Many additions require local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be sensible to check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Langstone. My financial adviser suggested a property lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £175. A few days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me to say that they were not on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Aldermore panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Santander. Is it usual for Santander to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Langstone is approved on their conveyancing panel? Santander have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.
A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Santander to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Santander conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
What does a local search tell me about the property we're purchasing in Langstone?
Langstone conveyancing often starts with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company such as Searches UK The local search is essential in every Langstone conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any nasty once you have moved into your property. The search will reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject headings.
How straightforward is it to use your search tool to locate a conveyancing solicitor in Langstone on the panel for my lender?
Step one is to select a bank such as Accord Mortgages Ltd, Leeds Building Society or Aldermore then specify your location e.g. Langstone. Conveyancing practices in Langstone and further afield should be identified.
I have been sourcing a conveyancing practitioner in Langstone for my home move. Is it possible to check a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?
You can read documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could monitor telephone calls for training purposes.