We are only a couple days away from an exchange on a flat in North Acton and my mum and dad have transferred the ten percent deposit to my lawyer. I am now informed that as the deposit has been sent from someone other than me my lawyer needs to disclose this to my mortgage company. Apparently, in also acting for the lender he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I informed the mortgage company about my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really appropriate for this now to delay the deal?
Your conveyancing practitioner is duty bound to clarify with lender to ensure that they know that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. The solicitor can only reveal this to your lender if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
I'm in the throws of viewing houses in North Acton and I am about to put in an offer. Is it too early to have a solicitor in place? I intend to finance via a mortgage with TSB.
It would be prudent to start your search sooner rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the estate agent. Given that you are getting a mortgage with TSB, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the TSB conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Co-operative. I assume I don't need a North Acton solicitor on the Co-operative panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Co-operative mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Co-operative mortgage from the register. Co-operative, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Co-operative has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Co-operative has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in North Acton. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How do I make a complaint?
All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.
We are selling our house in North Acton and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. A local conveyancer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers instructed a factory type conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in North Acton. We have lived in North Acton for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to seek confirmation that there is no issue.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing solicitor already. Are they able to advise? You need to 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 life insurance to cover that same illness)
I have recentlybeen informed that Stirling Law have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in North Acton for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is not still registered in the name of the former proprietor?
The quickest way to check if the premises is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of North Acton conveyancing specialists.
Given that I will soon spend £400,000 on a house in North Acton I would like to have a conversation with the conveyancer regarding theconveyancing ahead of giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?
Absolutely - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the conveyancer who will be carrying out your conveyancing in North Acton.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important individual, not a case number. The law firms that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are provided with for your conveyancing in North Acton should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.
My husband and I are first time buyers - agreed a price, but the selling agent advised that the owners will only proceed if we use their preferred solicitors as they want an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family solicitor with experience of conveyancing in North Acton
We suspect that the seller is not behind this request. Should the vendor require ‘a quick sale', alienating a genuine purchaser is not the way to achieve this. Speak to the owners direct and explain that (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are ready to progress, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you intend to instruct your preferred North Acton conveyancing firm - not the ones that will give their estate agent a referral fee or meet his conveyancing thresholds demanded by HQ.