Is the fact that my solicitor in Silvertown is not on my lender's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Silvertown conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.
My solicitor has uncovered a a problem with the lease for the property we are buying in Silvertown. The other side have put forward defective title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will cover the costs. Our solicitor says that he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is the mortgage company ?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the bank are the client. Your lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the lender can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your solicitor will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
Having sold my house in Silvertown last April but our buyer keeps calling me complaining that her lawyer is waiting to hear from mine. What should my lawyer have done following completion?
Following your sale your solicitor should deliver the transfer documentation and all additional paperwork to the buyer’s lawyers. Where appropriate, your conveyancer should also confirm that the home loan has been redeemed to the purchasers conveyancers. There is unlikely to be post completion tasks specific conveyancing in Silvertown.
I have been referred to a conveyancing solicitor in Silvertown. I I would like to check whether they are on the Bank of Scotland approved list of lawyers. Can you assist?
You should e-mail the solicitor and ask them if they are on the lender panel. Alternatively you can call Bank of Scotland who may be able to confirm.
I own a renovated Georgian house in Silvertown. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Alliance & Leicester . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same address. Is it worth asking Alliance & Leicester to clarify?
You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be 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 Silvertown and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.
In surfing the internet for the words conveyancing in Silvertown it reveals many solicitorsin the area. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancer for me?
The preferential way of finding the right conveyancer is through a trusted testimonial, so enquire of friends and those you trust who have bought a property in Silvertown or a local estate agent or mortgage broker. Fees for conveyancing in Silvertown differ, so it's advisable to request a minimum of four estimates from varying types of property lawyers. Make sure that you clarify what costs in the quote includes.