My solicitor has discovered a a problem with the lease for the apartment we are buying in Friday Hill. The seller’s lawyers have offered defective title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our property lawyer has advised that he must be satisfied that the bank is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the bank?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the bank are the client. Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the lender can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your conveyancer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

We note that you have a search directory listing firms on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for our own conveyancing in Friday Hill?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Friday Hill.

My grandfather passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Friday Hill. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Santander, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Given you intend to re-mortgage then Santander will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Santander conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Santander conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Santander mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

Just acquired a terraced house in Friday Hill , What is the estimated time for the Land Registry to deal with the formalities evidencing my title? My Friday Hill conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to be certain the registration is dealt with.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Friday Hill registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timeframes can adjust depending on the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry must send notices to any other parties. At present in the region of three quarters of submission are fully addressed within two weeks but some can be subject to longer hold-ups. Historically registration is effected after the purchaser has moved in to the premises therefore post completion formalities is not typically primary concern yet where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor can communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

My partner and I have recently had a bid accepted on our 1st house in Friday Hill, and need to get solicitors lined up. We have made use of the numerous rating based websites and the fee estimates are from all over the the UK. Is it essential to have a Friday Hill conveyancing practitioner local to your potential house? I am willing to do everything over email, but I am thinking at some point we will be required to attend the lawyer's office to sign contracts?

The solicitor does not have to be in Friday Hill, but opting for local means that you can attend their offices if needed, by way of example, if a signature is needed urgently. In addition, a Friday Hill solicitor is likely to be familiar with local agents and (if the vendor has chosen a local property lawyer) with them, which will help smooth the process.