What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Whissendine? Is this really necessary?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering laws require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the potential client they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing retainer. The Client Care letter that you are required to sign will no doubt stipulate this. Your lender will also require certain documents to be checked. If you are unwilling to hand over identification documents, your lawyer will not be able to take you on as a client.
We're in Whissendine, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Virgin Money , and our solicitor is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
Is it the case that all Whissendine CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Virgin Money conveyancing list of approved practices?
It is true that some lenders now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to remain on their panels.
We previously appointed solicitors locally in Whissendine on the Nottingham solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me an additional fee for the legal aspects of the Nottingham mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Nottingham?
Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your conveyancer may charge a fee for this. The charge is not set by Nottingham but by your Whissendine conveyancing practitioner. Some firms on the Nottingham panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but some firms include it on their overall fee.
Having digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Whissendine solicitor - who is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Leeds Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Leeds Building Society will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Whissendine surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
I used Stirling Law a few years ago for my conveyancing in Whissendine. Now, I need the files but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Whissendine of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I'm buying my first flat in Whissendine with a mortgage from Godiva Mortgages Ltd. The builders refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent told me not reveal to my conveyancer about the extras as it could jeopardize my loan with the lender. Is this normal?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
My partner has recommend that I appoint his conveyancing solicitors in Whissendine. Should I choose my own property lawyer?
No doubt it’s preferable to find a conveyancing lawyer is to have referrals from friends or relatives who have actually previously instructed the solicitor you're contemplating using.