As someone unfamiliar with the Billericay conveyancing process what is your top tip you can give me for the house moving process in Billericay

Not many law firms shout this from the rooftops but conveyancing in Billericay or throughout England and Wales is an adversarial process. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists an abundance of room for confrontation between you and others involved in the transaction. For example, the vendor, property agent and even potentially the bank. Appointing a law firm for your conveyancing in Billericay should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY person in the transaction whose interest is to protect your best interests and to keep you safe.

There is a worrying ongoing adversarial element to conveyancing- someone has to be at fault for the process taking so long. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties in the home moving process.

we are a couple who decided to purchase a 2 bedroom flat in Billericay with a mortgage from Lloyds TSB Bank.We use our Billericay conveyancing practitioner but Lloyds TSB Bank informed us his firm is not listed on their approved list of member firms. It seems we are left with no choice but to instruct a Lloyds TSB Bank panel solicitor or retain our local solicitor and fork out for one of their panel ones to act for them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The home loan issued to you is subject to its various provisions, a common one being that lawyers will be on the Lloyds TSB Bank approved list. Until recently, most mortgage companies 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 lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Lloyds TSB Bank

I just acquired a house at auction in Billericay. Conveyancing is required. What is next?

Given that you have now legally committed yourself to purchase you must retain a conveyancing lawyer quickly as you will have a pending a fixed date to complete the conveyancing. Every auction property will ordinarily have an associated auction set of papers. This will likely include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. In the case of leasehold premises the conveyancing pack should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation specific to leasehold premises. You need to give this to the lawyer working for you at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that your finances are in order to complete on the date specified in the contract.

My solicitor has informed me that lack of planning permission insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Billericay?

The appropriate level of lack of planning permission indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Lloyds TSB Bank and Skipton Building Society. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.

We had chosen conveyancing lawyers located in Billericay on the Yorkshire BS solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me a further sum for the legal aspects of the Yorkshire BS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Yorkshire BS?

As unfair as it may appear, as long as it’s in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your conveyancer may charge a fee for this. This charge is not set by Yorkshire BS but by your Billericay property lawyer. Some firms on the Yorkshire BS panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee but many practices incorporate it on their overall fee.

We're FTB’s - agreed a price, yet the estate agent advised that the vendor will only go ahead if we use the agent's recommended solicitors as they want an ‘expedited deal’. We would rather use a local conveyancer accustomed to conveyancing in Billericay

It is improbable the owners are behind this. Should the vendor want ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a motivated purchaser is counter productive. Try to communicate with the sellers directly and explain that (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you intend to instruct your preferred Billericay conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will provide their estate agent a kickback or meet his conveyancing thresholds demanded by senior management.

I am Googling for Billericay conveyancing quotes online. Can I be assured that all the Billericay law firms that are identified on your site are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel?

The law firms on our directory have assured us via an online form that they are on the lender panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the mortgage company panel. To date we have not been informed by either a lender or a member of the public that the data about a specific Billericay firm being on the bank conveyancing panel is incorrect.