I am 3 weeks into the sale of my ground floor flat in Queenborough and the EA has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are changing their solicitor. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major lender only engage with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Queenborough ?
Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the last few years big names such as Nationwide, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for decades.
Banks point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.
My partner and I changing mortgage lender for our maisonette in Queenborough with Nottingham. We have a son 18 who lives at home. Our solicitor has asked us to disclose any adults other than ourselves who lives in the flat. Our lawyer has now e-mailed a document for our son to sign, waiving any legal rights in the event that the flat is repossessed. I have two questions (1) Is this document specific to the Nottingham conveyancing panel as he never had to sign this form when we bought 4 years ago (2) Does our son by signing this compromise his rights to inherit the property?
First, rest assured that your Nottingham conveyancing panel solicitor is doing the right thing as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Nottingham. This is solely used to protect Nottingham if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Nottingham had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.
After researching mumsnet.com for an online solicitor in Queenborough, most post that I should use a CQS kitemarked solicitor. What is CQS?
Queenborough Conveyancing Quality Scheme solicitors have obtained accreditation under the Law Society's Scheme (CQS) The Law Society created CQS to promote high standards in the home legal process. CQS enables buyers and sellers to recognise solicitor firms that provide a quality residential conveyancing. Queenborough is one of locations in England and Wales in which CQS are located. The conveyancing scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self-reporting, random audits and yearly assessments in order to maintain CQS status. It is available to solicitors and not licensed conveyancers and has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Me and my brother own a 4 bedroom Georgian property in Queenborough. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Barnsley Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Queenborough and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the work.
How does conveyancing in Queenborough differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Queenborough approach us having been asked by the builder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because builders in Queenborough typically buy the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Queenborough or who has acted in the same development.
My folks cant seem to find their Queenborough property on the HM Land Registry website. They recall that back in the 70’s when they bought the bungalow there were complications with Queenborough not being identified on some systems.
The vast majority of residences in Queenborough should be revealed. Have you limited your search to simply the postcode. Usually it will reveal all the houses and flats within that postcode. Where registered it will be there with a title number. Where they bought fifty years ago it's conceivable it may be not yet registered. The property may still be revealed but with the title number shown 'na'. In this scenario you will need to find the original title deeds which might be with your parent’s mortgage company.