Recently contacted my conveyancing solicitor in Richmond who completed the legal work 18 months ago asking for a conveyancing quote based on the same type of house move (a leasehold premises and a freehold premises) of similar values with a mortgage from National Westminster Bank. It looks as though am now being quoted twice the amount. Should I look for a cheaper internet firm of conveyancing solicitor?
The charges seem a tad high. Where you are happy to invest time scrutinising quotes you may be able to shave off some of the expense by say £100 plus VAT. That being said, if you were content with the service the firm offered you maylive to regret opting for an a cheaper solicitor. Don't forget to enquire that the conveyancer can also act for National Westminster Bank. Do utilise our search tool to locate a Richmond conveyancing firm on the National Westminster Bank approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Richmond.
About to place a bid on a leasehold flat in Richmond. The estate agents say that it is normal for flats in Richmond to have less than 75 years remaining. I am obtaining a loan with Chelsea Building Society. Is this going to be acceptable if the lease has 72 years left.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 2/2/2026 the requirements read as follows :
Is it the case that all Richmond solicitors on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel are governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Coventry BS approved list of solicitors they would need to be governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Some mortgage companies do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the firms would be regulated by the CLC.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Leeds Building Society. I assume I don't need a Richmond property lawyer on the Leeds Building Society panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Leeds Building Society mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Leeds Building Society mortgage from the register. Leeds Building Society, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Leeds Building Society has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Leeds Building Society has instructed the Land Registry to do so
After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Richmond. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their property lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £200. A few days later, the property lawyer called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Bank of Ireland panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
How does conveyancing in Richmond differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Richmond contact us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is ready to move into. This is because developers in Richmond usually purchase 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 conveyancers 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 Richmond or who has acted in the same development.
Do I need to be suspicious about third parties that I am dealing with are recommending an online conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Richmond conveyancing firm?
As with many professional services, often referrals from relatives can be very helpful. But there are lots of parties with a keen interest in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders might all put forward solicitors to select. Sometimes the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but sometimes there is an underlying financial incentive behind the recommendation. You are free to choose your preferred lawyer. However, bear in mind that most lenders operate an approved list of lawyers you have to use for the lender aspect of your house move.
As co-executor for the estate of my father I am disposing of a property in Cardiff but live in Richmond. My conveyancer (based 250 kilometers from merequires that I execute a statutory declaration ahead of completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Richmond who can attest and place their company stamp on the document?
Technically speaking you should not be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are Richmond based