Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Locksbottom is not listed on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of his conveyancing?
That would most likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Locksbottom conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
My home in Locksbottom is up for sale and I have a buyer. Does the conveyancer have to be on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel in order to deal with repayment of my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Leeds Building Society 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 requirements fairly frequently currently.
I am planning on selling our property in Locksbottom and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed land that was not decontaminated. Any high street Locksbottom conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the purchasers instructed a nationwide conveyancing outfit rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Locksbottom. Having lived in Locksbottom for 4 years we know of no issue. Do we contact our local Authority to seek clarification need.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You must enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)
How does conveyancing in Locksbottom differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Locksbottom approach us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is ready to move into. This is because builders in Locksbottom tend to acquire the land, 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 conveyancers 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 used to new build conveyancing in Locksbottom or who has acted in the same development.
Should I instruct a Locksbottom conveyancing practitioner in close proximity to the house I am buying? An old friend can deal with the legal work but his firm is located over three hundred kilometers drive away.
The primary upside of using a local Locksbottom conveyancing firm is that you can attend the office to execute documents, hand in your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local Locksbottom know how is a bonus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust instructed your friend and the majority were impressed that should trump using an unfamiliar Locksbottom conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being local.
How do I determine who is the owner of a property in Locksbottom?
As long as the property is recorded at HMLR, and you have requisite details of the address of the premises, you should be able to obtain details from the HM Land Registry of the recorded proprietor for a fee.