It has come to my attention via my estate agent that my Lewisham lawyer is not on the bank Conveyancing panel. How can I be certain that this is indeed the case?
The sensible course of action for you to take is to call your Lewisham lawyer directly. You lawyer should advise you of the situation. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your lender.
Me and my partner are soon to complete on the purchase of a house in Lewisham but as a consequence of damage from some water damage at the property I have was able negotiate compensation from the vendor in the sum of three thousand pounds taking the form of a adjustment in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of the conveyancing process yet Santander are not allowing this. Why were they notified?
The lawyer that is on a Santander conveyancing panel is required to inform Santander of any changes to the sale price. If you were to refuse your property lawyer to report the reduction to Santander then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Santander and you would have to appoint a new solicitor for your conveyancing in Lewisham.
I am considering applying for a Nottingham mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) in Lewisham with 70% LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Nottingham ?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Nottingham will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Lewisham. I have a mortgage offer with Nottingham. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Nottingham, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.
I have a mortgage with Yorkshire BS for my property in Lewisham. Conveyancing has been completed 12 months ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Yorkshire BS?
Your original mortgage agreement with Yorkshire BS will provide that you need their approval prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Yorkshire BS’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Yorkshire BS will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Yorkshire BS directly. You need not do this via a Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel firm.
Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Lewisham. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?
Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Lewisham is the location of the property. Can you offer any assistance?
Flying freeholds in Lewisham are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Lewisham you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Lewisham may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.
Why is New Build conveyancing in Lewisham more expensive?
Buying a brand new home is significantly different from the standard house buying conveyancing in Lewisham. For a start developers ordinarily need contracts to exchange inside a short timeframe, the result being a a great deal of pressure on your conveyancing practitioner to ensure everything is in order. Furthermore new build premises frequently involve examination of adoption of highways, drains, planning considerations, building warranties or architects certificates. Mortgage lender requirements are also more detailed. Given the complex nature of the process for these types of properties, the conveyancing new build fees are higher than normal.