Is the fact that my conveyancer in Bembridge is not identified on my bank's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?
That would more than likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Bembridge conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
My partner and I have just purchased a property in Bembridge. We have since encountered a number of issues with the house which we believe were missed in the conveyancing searches. Do we have any recourse? Can you clarify the type of searches that should have been carried out for conveyancing in Bembridge?
The question is not clear as what problems have arisen and if they are specific to conveyancing in Bembridge. Conveyancing searches and due diligence undertaken during the legal transfer of property are designed to help avoid problems. As part of the process, a seller answers a form called a SPIF. If the information proves to be incorrect, then you may have a claim against the vendor for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Bembridge.
I used Action Conveyancing several years past for my conveyancing in Bembridge. I now require my papers however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Bembridge of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Bembridge in advance of appointing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. The surveyor has said that some lenders may not give a mortgage on this type of property.
It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different requirements from Halifax. If you contact us we can check with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Bembridge. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Bembridge to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.
Am I right to be suspicious about 3rd parties that I am dealing with are recommending a web based conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Bembridge conveyancing firm?
As with many service providers, often recommendations from relatives can be extremely useful or valuable. Nevertheless there are numerous people with a keen interest in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders might all recommend conveyancers to use. On occasion the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but occasionally there is an underlying financial incentive behind the endorsement. You are free to choose your own conveyancer. However, bear in mind that most lenders operate an approved list of law firms you must use for the lender related work in your home move.