My husband and I are hoping to acquire a property in Pontyclun and have appointed a Pontyclun conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our conveyancer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. Leeds Building Society have this evening contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our Pontyclun conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is normal for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Pontyclun lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
It is is a decade since I bought my property in Pontyclun. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been retained on the sale but I can't find my deeds. Is this a major issue?
Don’t worry too much. First there is a chance that the deeds will be kept by your mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the conveyancers who handled the purchase. Secondly in all probability the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers procuring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Pontyclun involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.
We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The bank mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to instruct their panel lawyer as I would much rather instruct a Pontyclun based conveyancing firm?
You should check but the chances are that allocate you one of their panel solicitors if you want the "fee-free" deal. Contact the mortgage company and check if they allow a monetary alternative. Some lenders have previously offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor near Pontyclun.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Pontyclun is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can give?
Flying freeholds in Pontyclun are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Pontyclun you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Pontyclun may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
Are there any apps to assist me to search for a Pontyclun law firm on the Accord Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel? I have a car and am willing to travel upto 25miles to meet the lawyer.
Feel free to make use of the search on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of Pontyclun conveyancing lawyers based on proximity. We have listed some Pontyclun conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can telephone them to see if they are on the Accord Mortgages Ltd member panel
Would local authority permission be necessary to convert a house into multiple appartments in Pontyclun? This has been carried out to a house next door to my house in Pontyclun and was not aware of it happening until the works were complete.
Planning Permission yes. Building Regulations yes.