My partner and I have organised a further advance on our mortgage from UBS as we intend to carry out a loft conversion to our home in Exeter. Are we obliged to choose a high street Exeter solicitor on the UBS conveyancing panel to handle the legals?
UBS do not ordinarily instruct a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the UBS conveyancing panel.
My husband and I are at the point of looking at flats in Exeter and I am about to put in an offer. Is it advisable to have a property lawyer on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a home loan with Co-operative.
It would be wise to start your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the estate agent. As you are taking out a mortgage with Co-operative, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.
I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, Skipton are being a right pain. The Exeter solicitor who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Skipton are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Skipton have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Skipton have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Skipton may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
What will a local search inform me about the house my wife and I purchasing in Exeter?
Exeter conveyancing often commences with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations for instance Xpress Legal The local search is essential in every Exeter conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any unpleasant once you have moved into your property. The search will provide data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant 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.
I have a terraced Georgian house in Exeter. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Clydesdale. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the matching property. Is it worth asking Clydesdale to clarify?
You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Exeter and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, chain free conveyancing. Exeter is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Exeter are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Exeter you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Exeter may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
How easy is it to use the search tool to find a conveyancing solicitor in Exeter on the approved list for my mortgage?
First select a mortgage company such as HSBC Bank, Barnsley Building Society or Godiva Mortgages Ltd then type in your preferred area for example Exeter. Conveyancing practices in Exeter and beyond will then be identified.