I am progressing with the sale of my flat in Woodhouse and Handsworth and the estate agent has just telephoned to say that the buyers are swapping solicitor. The reason given is that the lender will only work with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a leading lender only engage with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to select for their conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth ?
Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 25 years.
Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to reveal 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. Some 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. The buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.
Would the conveyancing solicitors that you recommend handle conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth by way of an attended exchange?
We do have a number of conveyancing experts carrying out attended exchanges. You should e-mail us to receive a conveyancing quote and details as to availability.
We are buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Woodhouse and Handsworth. Our aim is to convert the garage to a playroom at the property.Will legal due diligence on the property involve enquiries to determine if these works were previously refused?
Your conveyancer will check the registered title as conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth can sometimes reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prohibit categories of works or need the permission of another owner. Some additions require local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be wise to check these issues with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.
We had selected conveyancers locally in Woodhouse and Handsworth on the HSBC solicitor panel. They are now charging me a supplemental sum for dealing with the HSBC mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by HSBC?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your lawyer may levy a fee for this. This fee is not dictated by HSBC but by your Woodhouse and Handsworth solicitor. Plenty of firms on the HSBC panel will quote an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Woodhouse and Handsworth. I have a mortgage offer with Barclays. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Barclays conveyancing panel.
Various internet forums that I have come across warn that are the number one reason for obstruction in Woodhouse and Handsworth house deals. Is this right?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the top 10 causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth.
I'm converting the mortgage on my primary house to a BTL loan with Bank of Ireland and I will use the rest of the raised equity as a down payment on another house. The location we are talking about is Woodhouse and Handsworth. Will your conveyancers be able to act for the two mortgage companies and link together the transactions?
Make use of our search tool on this page to be sure that the lawyers are approved by both banks. Assuming that they are your solicitor should be able to simultaneously deal with the two transactions but you should have a chat with you lawyer and communicate your desired outcome and needs.
As co-executor for the estate of my grandmother I am selling a residence in Monmouth but live in Woodhouse and Handsworth. My conveyancer (approximately 200 miles from mehas requested that I execute a stat dec prior to the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Woodhouse and Handsworth to witness this legal document for me?
Technically speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in Woodhouse and Handsworth