Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Redland. Please clarify why all Redland conveyancing practitioners are not on all mortgage company panels?
A decade ago most lenders had an approach to risk which is different than today. The FSA in 2010 conducted a thematic review into property fraud which in summary warned lenders: know the conveyancers on your panel. Accordingly, banks have subsequently looked to extract more information from law firms regarding their processes and the individuals employed by them and set certain criteria such as completing a minimum number of transactions. Hundreds of law practices have been excluded from lender panels even though they had 100% healthy track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Many firms were never going to satisfy the criteria of volume of transactions the mortgage companies set.
Would the conveyancing lawyers that you recommend execute conveyancing in Redland by way of an attended exchange?
We do have a number of conveyancing specialists who can conduct personalised exchanges. Do e-mail us to receive a costs illustration and details as to dates.
Finally the sale completed on my house in Redland last July yet the purchaser is Skype messaging me to moan that her conveyancer needs to hear from mysolicitor. What are the post completion sale legalities now that I have sold?
Post completion of your disposal your conveyancer is obliged to deliver the transfer deeds and all additional paperwork to the purchaser's conveyancer. Where appropriate, your lawyer must also confirm that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been discharged to the buyers lawyers. There is unlikely to be post completion procedures just for conveyancing in Redland.
I have a 4 bedroom Georgian house in Redland. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Platform Home Loans Ltd. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the matching address. Is it worth asking Platform Home Loans Ltd to clarify?
You should read 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 owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Redland and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell 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 practitioner who conducted the conveyancing.
I'm purchasing a new build house in Redland with the aid of help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not to tell my lawyer about this extras as it would impact my loan with The Mortgage Works. 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 UK Finance website. UK Finance 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've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Redland is where the house is located. What do you suggest?
Flying freeholds in Redland are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Redland you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Redland 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 property.