I am 3 weeks into the sale of my apartment in Westhoughton and the estate agent has just telephoned to say that the purchasers are swapping law firm. The excuse is that the bank will only work with property lawyers on their approved list. Why would a leading lender only deal with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to select for their conveyancing in Westhoughton ?
Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Nationwide, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for over 25 years.
Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.
When can the exchange of contracts occur in residential conveyancing in Westhoughton and do I need to attend the lawyers office?
Where you are local to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Westhoughton you are invited in to sign the paperwork. However, the lender approved solicitors we work with supply countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide as equally diligent and professional a job for you when communicating with you digitally. The signing of the contract is not the critical part. A signed contract is just a prerequisite for the conveyancer to exchange contracts at the suitable time, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The procedure is is usually a five minute process, although where a long "chain" is in the mix, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Westhoughton)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.
Should my lawyer be making enquiries concerning flooding as part of the conveyancing in Westhoughton.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors dealing with homes in Westhoughton. Plenty of people will purchase a house in Westhoughton, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.
Lawyers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous checks that can be undertaken by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which can figure out the risks in Westhoughton. The standard property information forms sent to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual inquiry of the owner to determine if the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not disclosed by the owner, then a purchaser may bring a claim for damages as a result of such an misleading response. The purchaser’s solicitors should also conduct an environmental search. This should reveal whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be initiated.
Me and my brother have a renovated Victorian property in Westhoughton. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Birmingham Midshires. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same property. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?
You should 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 Westhoughton and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the position with your conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.
Given that I am about to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on a terraced house in Westhoughton I would like to talk to a lawyer regarding thetransaction before appointing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?
This is something that we encourage - we would be pleased to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the conveyancer who will be conducting your conveyancing in Westhoughton.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique individual, not a case reference. The law firms that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are quoted for residential conveyancing in Westhoughton should be the figure that you end up paying.
My husband and I are new to the buying process - agreed a price, yet the selling agent advised that the owners will only go ahead if we use the agent's chosen lawyers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family conveyancer who is familiar with conveyancing in Westhoughton
We suspect that the owner is unaware of this demand. If they desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a genuine buyer is counter productive. Speak to the vendors direct and make the point that (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are ready to go, with mortgage lined up © you are chain free (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you will continue to instruct your preferred Westhoughton conveyancing lawyers - rather thanthose that will earn their estate agent a introducer fee or hit his conveyancing thresholds set by corporate headquarters.