The vendors of the property we are hoping to buy are using a conveyancing practitioner in Elmstead who has suggested a lock out agreement with a deposit of 5k. Are such agreements sensible?
There are two main downsides with entering into any lock out contract (sometimes termed an exclusivity agreement) is that it takes away the focus from progressing with the conveyancing process, so unless it requires little or no negotiation then it could turn out to be unhelpful. It is not promoted amongst Elmstead conveyancing lawyers for this reason. A supplemental issue is the extent of the remedies available - a jilted buyer is not likely to be issued with injunctive relief to stop the owner disposing of the property to a third party, so the only remedy available under the agreement will be the reimbursement of abortive charges and, in restricted circumstances, the extra payment of damages.
In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Elmstead? Why is this being asked of me?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering laws require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the ID of the potential client they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing instruction. The Terms of Engagement 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. If you refuse to provide identification documents, your conveyancer can not take you on as a client.
I used Stirling Law a few years ago for my conveyancing in Elmstead. 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 Elmstead of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
What tools are available to locate a Elmstead solicitor on the Alliance & Leicester conveyancing panel? I am a keen cyclist and am prepared to travel upto 20kilometers to meet the lawyer.
Feel free to make use of the search on this website. Please select a lender and your location and you will see a number of Elmstead conveyancing lawyers based on proximity. We have listed some Elmstead conveyancing firms towards the end of this page and you can ring them to check if they are on the Alliance & Leicester approved list
The solicitors conducting our conveyancing in Elmstead has sent papers to review that indicate that the property is unregistered with epitome documents. Surely all properties in Elmstead are registered?
Although the vast majorities of properties in Elmstead are now registered with HMLR there are still some that are unregistered. Any property in Elmstead that has been transferred since the late 1980’s will have been registered at the Land Registry under the compulsory ‘first registration’ scheme. However, if a Elmstead property has not changed hands in that time then it’s likely the old fashioned title deeds will be the only evidence of ownership.Many Elmstead conveyancing lawyers will be able to handle this type of conveyancing but in the event that uncertainty prevails the conventional guidance these days appears to be for the vendor’s solicitor to register the title first and subsequently deal with the sale conveyance - this no doubt cause a protracted conveyancing.