My partner and I are only a couple days away from an exchange on a house in Radlett and my parents have transferred the 10% deposit to my solicitor. I am now told that as the deposit has been received from someone other than me my lawyer needs to make a notification to my lender. Apparently, in also acting for the mortgage company he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I advised the mortgage company concerning my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really appropriate for this now to delay the deal?
Your property lawyer is obliged to check with lender to ensure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own resources. Your solicitor can only disclose this to your bank if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
It is a dozen years since I purchased my property in Radlett. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been appointed on the sale but I can't find the title deeds. Is this a major issue?
Don’t worry too much. First there is a possibility that the deeds will be retained by the mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who oversaw the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Radlett involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it is more tricky but is resolvable.
My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Radlett. I I would like to check whether they are on the Coventry Building Society approved list of lawyers. Could you advise?
You should e-mail the solicitor and ask them whether they are on the lender panel. Alternatively you can get in touch with Coventry Building Society who may be able to help.
I own a semi-detached Edwardian property in Radlett. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Chelsea Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the matching property. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?
You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for 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 Radlett and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.
I am purchasing my first flat in Radlett benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not move on the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not to tell my conveyancer about this extras as it will jeopardize my mortgage with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
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 looking for a conveyancing practitioner in Radlett for my home move. Is it possible to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?
You may search for published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from investigations from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could monitor call for training purposes.