We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to instruct their panel lawyer as I would prefer to appoint a high street conveyancing solicitor in Chester?
You should check but the the likelihood is that appoint one of their panel solicitors if you take up the "fee-free" offer. Contact the bank to see if they make available a cash alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case that money can go towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor near Chester.
Me and my partner are purchasing a apartment in Chester. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a solicitor? On completion day we will need to put funds into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
Can you point me to a directory of Barclays panel solicitors in Chester on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such directory service on the CML or Building Society Association websites. Very few banks make their panel listings available on the web. If you are seeking to appoint a Chester conveyancer on the Barclays please use our tool.
We previously appointed solicitors locally in Chester on the Yorkshire BS solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a supplemental amount for dealing with the Yorkshire BS mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Yorkshire BS?
Unfortunately, so long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your lawyer is entitled to levy a fee for this. This fee is not dictated by Yorkshire BS but by your Chester property lawyer. Some firms on the Yorkshire BS panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of practices incorporate it on their overall fee.
What will a local search inform me about the property my wife and I purchasing in Chester?
Chester conveyancing often starts with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations for instance Onsearch The local search plays a central part in most Chester conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any nasty surprises after you move into your property. The search will provide information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject sections.
The deeds to my house can not be found. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Chester 10 years ago no longer exist. What do I do?
In today’s world there are duplicates made of almost everything, and your conveyancer will be aware exactly where to locate all the relevant paperwork so you can purchase or sell your house without any difficulty. If copies are not available, your lawyer may be able to arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities against future claims on your property.
How does conveyancing in Chester differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Chester approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because developers in Chester typically acquire the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Chester or who has acted in the same development.