I am getting a mortgage offer from Halifax. I would like to retain the legal services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Tunbridge Wells. Does the Halifax Solicitor panel exclude conveyancers regulated by the CLC?
The Halifax approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
I am thinking of remortgaging my house in Tunbridge Wells, does my lawyer need to be on the Co-operative Conveyancing panel?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Co-operative conveyancing panel, but Co-operative 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.
My wife and I are buying a apartment in Tunbridge Wells. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? On completion day we have to send money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our deposit?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
Can you point me to a directory of Virgin Money panel solicitors in Tunbridge Wells on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the CML or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of banks make their panel listings open the public over the internet. Where you are in need of a Tunbridge Wells solicitor on the Virgin Money please make the most of our tool.
I recently had an offer agreed on a house in Tunbridge Wells. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an advanced payment of £150. A couple of days later, the conveyancing practitioner contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Principality conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Principality panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Tunbridge Wells?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Tunbridge Wells. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
I decided to have a survey completed on a house in Tunbridge Wells before retaining solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. The surveyor advised that some banks tend refuse to give a mortgage on such a house.
It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different instructions from Birmingham Midshires. If you contact us we can look into this further via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Tunbridge Wells. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Tunbridge Wells conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?
When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Tunbridge Wells conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Tunbridge Wells conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be of use:
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What are the charges for lease extension work? If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?
I invested in buying a ground floor flat in Tunbridge Wells, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Tunbridge Wells with over 90 years remaining are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2078
With 53 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £27,600 and £31,800 as well as legals.
The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.