We're in Wealdstone, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Coventry BS , and our lawyer is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no property lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
I am assisting my step-mother sell her flat in Wealdstone. Will the conveyancer commission the energy performance certificate or it is for me to see to?
After the demise of HIPs, energy performance certificates was left as a compulsory element of moving property. An EPC should be commissioned in advance of the property being advertised. This is not as aspect of the sale process that solicitors ordinarily arrange. Where you are instructing a Wealdstone conveyancing lawyer they might be willing to arrange energy performance certificates due to their contacts with reputable local accredited person
We had appointed conveyancing lawyers located in Wealdstone on the Nationwide solicitor approved list. They have just billed me an additional sum for the legal aspects of the Nationwide mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Nationwide?
Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your property lawyer may levy a fee for this. This charge is not set by Nationwide but by your Wealdstone conveyancing practitioner. Numerous firms on the Nationwide panel will levy ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.
I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in January 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Bank of Ireland are being pedantic. The Wealdstone solicitor who is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Bank of Ireland are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Bank of Ireland have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Bank of Ireland have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Bank of Ireland 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.
The deeds to my house are lost. The lawyers who did the conveyancing in Wealdstone 10 years ago are no longer around. What are my options?
Nowadays there are duplicates made of almost everything, and your solicitor will know exactly where to find all the relevant documentation so you may buy or dispose of your house without a hitch. If copies are not available, your solicitor may be able to put in place insurance or indemnities against future claims on your property.
I opted to have a survey completed on a house in Wealdstone ahead of retaining solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. My surveyor has said that some lenders tend refuse to give a loan on such a premises.
It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to telephone us we can investigate further via the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Wealdstone. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
My wife and I have recently had an offer agreed on a house and had meeting on Tuesday with Leeds Building Society for the mortgage. They advised us that when it comes to selecting a lawyer that unless they are on their approved panel of solicitors then we will incur an additional fee of £200. This is is due to the fact that they would then have to instruct a property lawyer to act on their behalf in addition to the one we choose to act for ourselves and we assume responsibility for their fees. I have requested Leeds Building Society to supply me with a list so I can obtain estimates only from their approved conveyancers but was told that I need to check with each individual lawyer to see if they are on the panel. Is there a simple way of finding out who is on a lender panel?
You should ask Leeds Building Society what their criteria for panel membership is for a conveyancer.Then ask the conveyancing practitioner of your choice whether they meet the criteria and have they acted on mortgages for Leeds Building Society in the past. If the answer to those is yes, then just double check with Leeds Building Society. Another option is to utilise our search facility and we should be able to identify a lawyer in Wealdstone on the panel for Leeds Building Society.