There are numerous conveyancing solicitors in Balsall Common but how do I know who's good?

Do not opt for the lowest Balsall Common conveyancing quote. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. 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 go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

My fiancee and I are in the process of viewing houses in Balsall Common and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it too early to have a solicitor in place? I am planning to take a home loan with Bank of Ireland.

It would be prudent to commence your search sooner rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the estate agent. Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I've digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Balsall Common solicitor - who is on the UBS conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

UBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually UBS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Balsall Common postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with UBS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Balsall Common.

I'm buying my first flat in Balsall Common with a loan from Barclays Direct. The developers refused to move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent suggested that I not inform my lawyer about this deal as it will put at risk my mortgage with Barclays Direct. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Taking into account that I will soon part with hundreds of thousands of pounds on a two bedroom apartment in Balsall Common I wish to talk to a solicitor regarding theconveyancing prior to instructing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

This is something that we recommend - we would be delighted to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the solicitor who will be conducting your property ownership legalities in Balsall Common.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important person, not a matter reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are calculated and presented to you for your conveyancing in Balsall Common should be the figure that you end up paying.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing lawyer in Balsall Common for my purchase. Is it possible to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

One can see documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions started on or after Jan 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may recorded call for training requirements.

My wife and I are buying a ground floor flat in Balsall Common. When we first instructed solicitor, we were told they were on all major UK mortgage company panels. The mortgage broker called yesterday to advise that they are not on the Bank of Ireland approved list. Should that be true, what should we do? Do we just find a different conveyancing practitioner that is on their panel or do we pay for dual representation, with Bank of Ireland appointing their own preferred property lawyer.

Where you are acquiring a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is normal for the buyer’s lawyers to also represent the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a conveyancing practitioner has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the solicitor to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the conveyancing practitioner has to satisfy. Some building societies now insist their panel firms to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your conveyancer should call Bank of Ireland and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on Bank of Ireland's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Balsall Common lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another conveyancing practitioner into the equation.