Me and my fiance are buying a 1 bedroom apartment in Woodford with a mortgage. We have a Woodford lawyer, however the bank says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel conveyancing practices or keep our Woodford conveyancer as well as pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Woodford conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
I am downsizing from our house in Woodford and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers used an internet conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Woodford. We have lived in Woodford for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to seek clarification that there is no issue.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. What do they say? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same sickness)
I am looking for a ground for flat up to £305k and found one near me in Woodford I like with a park and station nearby, however it's only got 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Woodford suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?
Should you require a home loan that many years may be problematic. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.
What does commercial conveyancing in Woodford cover?
Woodford conveyancing for business premises incorporates a broad array of guidance, given by regulated solicitors, relating to business premises. For instance, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more commonly, the transfer of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of tenancies.
My partner has encouraged me to use his conveyancers in Woodford. Should I find my own property lawyer?
No doubt it’s preferable to find a conveyancing lawyer is to have recommendations from friends or family who have previously instructed the conveyancer you're considering.
We are contemplating instructing a web based solicitor as opposed to a Woodford conveyancing practice. Any advice?
There are advantages of being able to visit a local Woodford conveyancing solicitor for instance
- signing papers and and when necessary
- sometimes being able to speak to someone face-to-face can make a significant difference, particularly for non-standard conveyancing
- the ability to raise concerns if things go pear-shaped
When analysing quotes, look out for hidden extras. Most decent Woodford high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online agents appear to offer low cost fees, yet have hidden 'extras' in the small print.