What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Kempston? Is this really warranted?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering regulations require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the identification documents of the person or body they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing retainer. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign should reaffirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. Should you refuse to supply ID verification documents, your lawyer can not take you on as a client.
We are intent on selling our property in Kempston and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers used a national conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Kempston. Having lived in Kempston for many years we know that this is a non issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to obtain confirmation that there is no issue.
It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same illness)
I have a renovated Victorian house in Kempston. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Coventry Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?
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 owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Kempston and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on last month in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Kempston is the location of the property. Can you offer any opinion?
Flying freeholds in Kempston are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Kempston you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Kempston may decide 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 property.
As co-executor for the estate of my father I am disposing of a house in Monmouth but reside in Kempston. My conveyancer (who is 300 miles awayneeds me to execute a statutory declaration ahead of the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Kempston who can attest and place their company stamp on the document?
Technically speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will do regardless of whether they are based in Kempston