My husband and I are planning to buy a house in West Dean and have instructed a West Dean conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Godiva Mortgages Ltd have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our West Dean solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?
When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is standard for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. 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 Quality 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 don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own West Dean solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
I require conveyancing for an apartment in a relatively new development (seven years built) in West Dean. Almost all the appartments have already been occupied. Do I need carry out the conveyancing searches as part of conveyancing in West Dean?
Conveyancing Searches are a vital link in the West Dean conveyancing process. There are numerous search providers delivering West Dean conveyancing searches, as well straight from the local authority. These are known collectively as personal search organisation due to them carrying out, personal searches. Nevertheless, all Local Authority Search conveyancing products have one thing in common - they must secure their information from the local authoritative source.
What does a local search reveal regarding the property we're purchasing in West Dean?
West Dean conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company such as Xpress Legal The local search is essential in every West Dean conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any unpleasant surprises after you move into your new home. The search will supply data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic areas.
I purchased a 4 bedroom Victorian house in West Dean. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and National Westminster Bank. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. Is it worth asking National Westminster Bank to clarify?
You should 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 owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in West Dean and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing practitioner who completed the work.
How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in West Dean and how can you help?
The 1954 Act provides security of tenure to business leaseholders, giving them the right to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are involved. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act to your advantage and help with commercial conveyancing in West Dean
We're new on the property ladder - had an offer accepted, yet the estate agent has warned us that the vendor will only issue a contract if we use their preferred lawyers as they need a ‘quick sale’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in West Dean
We suspect that the owner is unaware of this ultimatum. If they desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a genuine buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Bypass the agents and go straight to the owners and make sure they understand (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are ready to go, with finances arranged © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you will continue to appoint your preferred West Dean conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give their estate agent a commission or meet his conveyancing figures pre-set by HQ.