Some advice if I may. My Robertsbridge conveyancer is informing me me that he is legally obliged toorder Robertsbridge conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Nat Westconveyancing panel. These Robertsbridge checks cost a lot of money can this be avoided?
Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are taking a mortgage with a lender your conveyancer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the CML Handbook conditions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Robertsbridge conveyancing searches.
What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Robertsbridge? What am I being asked for?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering regulations require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the ID of the potential client they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing retainer. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt reaffirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. Where you are unwilling to supply ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to act for you.
is it true that all Robertsbridge solicitors on the Lloyds conveyancing panel are overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Lloyds conveyancing panel they would need to be overseen by the SRA. Some mortgage companies do list licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
I had a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. Robertsbridge conveyancing practitioners have been selected. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Santander?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Santander completed the valuation? Have you informed Santander as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Santander conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
My fiancee and I are spending time viewing houses in Robertsbridge and I am about to put in an offer. Is it premature to have a solicitor in place? I am planning to take a home loan with Nottingham.
It would be prudent to start your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the selling agent. Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Nottingham, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Nottingham conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.
A relative suggested that where I am purchasing in Robertsbridge I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is sometimes included in the estimate for your Robertsbridge conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Robertsbridge around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Robertsbridge Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Robertsbridge Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Robertsbridge.
The deeds to our house can not be found. The conveyancers who handled the conveyancing in Robertsbridge 4 years ago no longer exist. Will I be able to sell the house?
These day there are duplicates made of almost everything, and your solicitor should know exactly where to find all the relevant paperwork so you can purchase or dispose of your house without a hitch. If duplicates are not available, your solicitor can put in place insurance or indemnities protecting you against future claims on your premises.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and found one near me in Robertsbridge I like with open areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Robertsbridge in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?
If you require a mortgage that many years will be problematic. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you can ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.