Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Cricklade is not identified on my lender's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s conveyancing?
That is most likely a wrong assumption to make. There are plenty of plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Cricklade conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
We are purchasing our first house. Our conveyancing practitioner has texted usto ask if we would like to order extra conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's necessary for conveyancing in Cricklade
The scope of Cricklade conveyancing searches should be triggered based entirely on the property, the location, the likelihood of any of these risks, your familiarity of the area and risks, your overall attitude to risk. What is important is that you adequately comprehend what information the searches could supply. You may then make a decision if you personally think you need that search. If unsure, ask the conveyancer to explain.
We see that you have a post code search directory identifying firms on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I appoint them for our own conveyancing in Cricklade?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Cricklade.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as FTB of a garden flat in Cricklade. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on the completion date from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Cricklade?
On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in Cricklade. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the purchase money to the vendor’s conveyancers, and once they have received this, you should be able to collect the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Yorkshire BS. I assume I don't need a Cricklade conveyancing practitioner on the Yorkshire BS panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.
If you have finished paying off your Yorkshire BS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Yorkshire BS mortgage from the register. Yorkshire BS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where Yorkshire BS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Yorkshire BS has instructed the Land Registry to do so
Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Cricklade solicitor - who is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Nationwide will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Nationwide 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 Cricklade 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'm purchasing a new build house in Cricklade with a loan from Britannia. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about this extras as it will adversely affect my mortgage with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.