My fiance and I are looking to purchase a flat in Shooter's Hill and have appointed a Shooter's Hill conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our property lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. Santander have this evening contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Shooter's Hill solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is normal for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Shooter's Hill lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.
I am thinking of mortgaging my apartment in Shooter's Hill, does my lawyer have to be on the RBS Solicitor panel?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the RBS conveyancing panel, but RBS would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.
I have a semi-detached Georgian property in Shooter's Hill. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Virgin Money. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the matching property. Is it worth asking Virgin Money to clarify?
You need to 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 proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Shooter's Hill and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the position with your conveyancing practitioner who conducted the work.
About to purchase a new build flat in Shooter's Hill. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.
Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Shooter's Hill
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The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Please supply a car parking plan. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore.
My business partner and I are wishing to take over a lease of an office on the high street. Can you recommend lawyers offering competitive charges for non-domestic conveyancing in Shooter's Hill for less than £1,200?
We can recommend firms who have well rounded knowledge of commercial conveyancing in Shooter's Hill, including the disposal and purchase of businesses as well as simply property. Whether you are looking to acquire or sell a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail unit or a complete business we will put you in touch with the right firm. Regarding the fees this will depend on the structure and nuances of the proposed transaction. Please provide us with your details or email so as to enable us to furnish you with a fixed commercial conveyancing calculation.
My solicitors in Shooter's Hill have advised me that no longer have my conveyancing file. At the time of my purchase I took out a mortgage with the lender. Is it case that being on the bank conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a number of years?
It very much depends from lender to lender but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the bank Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting the mortgage company directly.