My fiance and I are looking to purchase a house in Romford and are in fact using a Romford conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our solicitor has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. Alliance & Leicester have this evening contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Romford solicitor is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?
When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is standard for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Romford lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Romford? What am I being asked for?
It is indeed that case that the requirement set out by your lawyer has nothing to do with conveyancing in Romford. However these days you will not be able to complete any conveyancing transaction in the absence submitting proof of your identity. Ordinarily this takes the form of a either your passport or driving licence and a council tax bill. Please note that if you are supplying your driving licence as evidence of ID it must be both the paper part as well as the photo card part, one is not acceptable in the absence of the other.
Evidence of the origin of money is necessary under Money Laundering Regulations. Please do not be offended when you are asked to produce this as your lawyer will need to retain this information on file. Your Romford conveyancing lawyer will need to see evidence of proof of funds prior to accepting any money from you into their client account and they should also ask further queries concerning the source of funds.
If you had a top tip for selecting a conveyancing solicitor in Romford what would it be?
Do not opt for the cheapest Romford conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.
I am purchasing a victorian detached house in Romford. The intention is to an extension at the rear at the house.Will the conveyancing process include checks to determine if these alterations are permitted?
Your conveyancer will check the registered title as conveyancing in Romford will occasionally identify restrictions in the title deeds which prohibit categories of changes or need the consent of another owner. Some additions require local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
I am purchasing a property in Romford. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Santander have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Santander your lawyer must follow the formal instructions contained in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Santander. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Santander where a lease does not meet these provisions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not limited to Romford.
I note that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to have this when purchasing a property in Romford? or I am told that there is a law dating back centuries that means some owners of property residing in a parish church boundary will be compelled to pay for maintenance towards the chancel within the church. Is this a legitimate concern for conveyancing in Romford?
Unless a prior acquisition of the house completed after 12 October 2013 you may take it that lawyers carrying out conveyancing in Romford to continue to suggest a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our house are lost. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Romford 10 years ago are no longer around. What do I do?
Gone are the days when you need to have the physical official documentation to evidence that you are the owner of your registered land or property, given that the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.