Is the fact that my conveyancer in Plymouth is not identified on my bank's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?
That is more than likely a wrong assumption to make. There are plenty of reasonable 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 top 5 reasons are as follows: (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. If you are concerned you should simply call the Plymouth conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
Can the conveyancing practitioners identified through your search tool conduct auction conveyancing in Plymouth?
We know of a few niche solicitors we can put you in touch with those specialising in auction conveyancing. Plymouth is one of the many locations in which our lawyers have a presence.
We are downsizing from our property in Plymouth and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed on contaminated land. A high street Plymouth lawyer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the buyers used a factory type conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Plymouth. Having lived in Plymouth for three years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to get confirmation that the buyers are looking for.
It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. 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 ailment)
I am purchasing my first flat in Plymouth with a mortgage from Clydesdale. The builders would not budge the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The estate agent suggested that I not to tell my solicitor about the deal as it may affect my loan with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.
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 opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Plymouth before retaining solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. Our surveyor advised that some mortgage companies will not issue a mortgage on this type of home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different instructions for example to Halifax. If you contact us we can check via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Plymouth. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
Should I be suspicious that brokers that I am dealing with are recommending a national conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Plymouth conveyancing firm?
As with many service providers, often referrals from connections can be very helpful. Yet there are numerous people with a vested interest in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, financial adviser and banks might all put forward conveyancers to retain. On occasion these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but sometimes there might be a commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You are free to choose your own conveyancer. However, bear in mind that many mortgage providers specify a panel list of conveyancers you are obliged to use for the mortgage aspect of your house move.