Is the fact that my solicitor in Tonbridge is not identified on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of her work?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) lack 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 Tonbridge conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.
My husband and I are buying a newly built duplex in Tonbridge and my solicitor is telling me that she is duty bound to the lender to disclose incentives from the builder. I am on a tight deadline to sign contracts and I don't want to prolong deal. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your property lawyer. A precondition to being on a mortgage company panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
It is a dozen years since I bought my home in Tonbridge. Conveyancing solicitors have now been instructed on the sale but I can't find my title documents. Will this jeopardise the sale?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be retained by your mortgage company or they could still be with the lawyers who handled the purchase. Secondly in most cases the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Tonbridge involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it is more of a problem but is not insurmountable.
I happen to be the only beneficiary of my late grandmother’s estate and I have everything in my name now, including the house in Tonbridge. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in December. I plan to dispose of the property. I understand that there is a Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', which means that my proprietorship could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the house in December. Will no one buy the property for half a year?
The CML handbook obliges conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be affected by that. Some mortgage companies would take a sensible view as this requirement chiefly exists to identify the purchase and immediately sell or the flipping of property.
Is it the case that all Tonbridge solicitor firms on the Santander conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Santander conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do list licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such practice would be overseen by the CLC.
I had an offer accepted on an apartment in Tonbridge on 17/12/2025, valuation was booked 4 days after, all came back fine. Property lawyer instructed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Lloyds and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Lloyds to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
Just bought a terraced house in Tonbridge , how long should it take for the Land Registry to record my ownership? My Tonbridge conveyancing solicitor has been very slow, so I want to check the registration formalities are addressed.
As far as conveyancing in Tonbridge registration is no faster or slower than the rest of the country. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can vary subject to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry need to notify any third parties. At present approximately 80% of such applications are fully dealt with in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be extensive hold-ups. Historically registration occurs once the buyer is living at the property therefore 'speed' is not always top priority yet where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers should speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.
My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Tonbridge. Conveyancing and Nottingham Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing solicitor in Tonbridge who acted for me is not around. Do I pay?
First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Tonbridge conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.
I inherited a 1st floor flat in Tonbridge, conveyancing was carried out 5 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Tonbridge with a long lease are worth £190,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2087
With only 61 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £19,000 and £22,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.