The Oxted conveyancing lawyers that just started acting on my purchase in Oxted have without warning shut down. I chose them because I had to have a solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel and my preferred Oxted lawyer was not. I paid them £170 on account. What do I do now?
If you have an estate agent involved then inform them immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Skipton conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors may be able to help.
This question may be naive but I am wet behind the ears as a first time purchaser of a garden flat in Oxted. Do I receive the keys to the property on the completion date from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will find a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Oxted?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will arrange to send the completion advance to the owner’s conveyancers, and once they have received this, you should be called to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens between 1 and 3pm.
I have been advised by my conveyancer that lack of building regulations insurance is required on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Oxted conveyancing?
The appropriate level of lack of building regulations indemnity insurance should be dictated by who your lender. It would differ for example between Santander and Barnsley Building Society. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to borrowers take out such insurances.
We were going to get a OIP from Virgin Money this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Virgin Money recommend any Oxted solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Oxted solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Virgin Money through the process.
I have been told that property searches are a common reason for stalling in Oxted house deals. Is there any truth in this?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the conclusions of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the common causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Local searches are not likely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Oxted.
I used Wolstenholmes several years ago for my conveyancing in Oxted. I now require my papers however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Oxted of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I'm purchasing a new build house in Oxted with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The estate agent advised me not inform my lawyer about the side-deal as it will affect my loan with Britannia. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Oxted for my purchase. Is it possible to review a firm’s record with the legal regulator?
Members of the public may search for presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from investigations started on or after Jan 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find details 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. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could monitor call for training requirements.