Me and my fiance are buying a 1 bedroom apartment in Saxmundham with a mortgage. We like our Saxmundham conveyancer, but the mortgage company advise he's not on their "panel". It seems we have little choice but to instruct one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or keep our Saxmundham property lawyer and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This feels very unfair; are we not able to demand that the lender use our Saxmundham conveyancer ?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Saxmundham conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
My fiance and I are purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in Saxmundham with a residential mortgage from Clydesdale.We would like to retain our Saxmundham conveyancing solicitor but Clydesdale informed us she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have no choice but to instruct a Clydesdale panel lawyer or keep our high street solicitor and fork out for one of their panel ones to act for them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, a common one being that solicitors needs to be on the Clydesdale approved list. in the past, most mortgage companies had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Clydesdale
I used Stirling Law several years ago for my conveyancing in Saxmundham. Now, I need the documents but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Saxmundham of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
How does conveyancing in Saxmundham differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build premises in Saxmundham contact us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is built. This is because developers in Saxmundham usually buy the site, 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 Saxmundham or who has acted in the same development.
In scouring the internet for the phrase on line conveyancing in Saxmundham it shows results of many solicitorsin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right conveyancer for purchase transaction?
The ideal way of seeking a suitable conveyancer is through a trusted testimonial, so ask colleagues and those you trust who have acquired a property in Saxmundham or a local estate agent or mortgage broker. Fees for conveyancing in Saxmundham vary, so it's advisable to secure at least four fee calculations from different conveyancers. Be sure to obtain confirmation that the fees are fixed.
I work for a busy estate agency in Saxmundham where we see a number of flat sales put at risk due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received contradictory information from local Saxmundham conveyancing firms. Can you shed some light as to whether the owner of a flat can initiate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?
Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Saxmundham - Sample of Queries Prior to buying
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Does this lease have more than 82 years remaining? Its a good idea to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the building as they will either make your living at the property much simpler or much more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters like the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of other people what they think of them. On a final note, find out the dates that the service charges are due to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending that money.