Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Morden is not listed on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of his work?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. Just recently a 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) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor 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 simply call the Morden conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Morden? What am I being asked for?
To satisfy the Money Laundering Regulations any Morden conveyancing firm will require evidence of your identity in all conveyancing matters. This is normally satisfied by provision of a passport and an original bank statement or utility bill evidencing where you reside.
Under Money Laundering Regulations, conveyancing solicitors are obliged by law to validate not simply the identity of conveyancing clients but also the source of the money that they receive in respect of any matter. Refusal to disclose this may result in your conveyancer ending their relationship with you, as clearly this will cause a conflict between the set Regulations and a refusal to disclose.
Your conveyancers are duty bound to make a disclosure to the relevant authorities should they believe that any amounts received by them may contravene the Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules.
About to place a bid on a leasehold property in Morden. The selling agents say that it is the norm for flats in Morden to have less than 75 years left on the lease. I am taking out a mortgage with Tesco Bank. Will the property be mortgageable given that the lease has Seventy One years remaining.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Tesco Bank have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 7/12/2025 the requirements read as follows :
Will my conveyancer be raising questions concerning flooding as part of the conveyancing in Morden.
Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers dealing with homes in Morden. There are those who acquire a house in Morden, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.
Lawyers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, however there are a various searches that can be initiated by the buyer or by their solicitors which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Morden. The standard property information forms sent to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual inquiry of the vendor to find out if the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not disclosed by the vendor, then a buyer could commence a claim for damages resulting from an incorrect reply. The purchaser’s conveyancers should also order an enviro search. This should higlight if there is any known flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be carried out.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Morden?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Morden. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
I purchased a property in Morden last 12/11/2024 and to date it is still not recorded with the Land Registry. It was part of a new estate and my solicitor told me that it may take twelve months to complete the registration formalities. I have contacted HMLR directly and they have informed me the original application was cancelled due to failure to reply to requisitions. What can I do?
Call your conveyancer - if you are not getting sensible responses, find out about their firm’s complaints procedure and amplify your concerns to a Complaints Manager. Registrations for Morden conveyancing are not known to be particularly slow.