My wife and I are hoping to buy a flat in West Drayton and are in fact using a West Drayton conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our conveyancer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. Clydesdale have this evening contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our West Drayton conveyancer is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is usual for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent 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 property lawyer 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 as you are at liberty to use your preferred West Drayton lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in West Drayton? Is this really warranted?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the ID of the person or body they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing instruction. The Terms of Engagement that you need to sign should reaffirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. Should you refuse to hand over identification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to act for you.
Does a directory service exist listing Nationwide panel conveyancers in West Drayton on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such facility on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association sites. Very few mortgage companies make their panel listings open the public on the web. Where you are seeking to appoint a West Drayton lawyer on the Nationwide please use our facility.
How can we know in advance if a West Drayton conveyancing solicitor on the Barclays panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in West Drayton getting recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always suggest that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing.
My wife and I are at the point of looking at apartments in West Drayton and I am about to put in an offer. Is it advisable to have my lawyer on ‘stand by’? I am planning to take a mortgage with Santander.
It would be prudent to start your search sooner rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the estate agent. Given that you are seeking a mortgage with Santander, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Santander conveyancing panel.
Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in West Drayton before instructing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor advised that some mortgage companies tend refuse to grant a loan on a flying freehold premises.
It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different requirements for example to Halifax. If you e-mail us we can check via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in West Drayton. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in West Drayton to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.
In my capacity as executor for the estate of my uncle I am disposing of a house in Swansea but reside in West Drayton. My solicitor (based 200 kilometers awayhas requested that I sign a stat dec prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in West Drayton to attest and place their company stamp on the document?
strictly speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or qualified solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in West Drayton
We are soon to acquiring a home in West Drayton. Conveyancing is not yet done but we would like keep our purchase price private from sites such as Zoopla. How do I make sure this is not revealed?
HMLR are legally bound to specify price sold data on the official title for residential properties nationwide including properties in West Drayton. The register of ownership is a public document, so HM Land Registry would be breaking the law excluded specific properties such as your property in West Drayton.
In essence you can ask the Land Registry to hide the amount paid entry yet the answer would be in the negative.