Is the fact that my conveyancer in Endon is not listed on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s work?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (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. Where you are concerned you should contact the Endon conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.
My wife and I are approaching an exchange on a house in Endon and my parents have transferred the exchange deposit to my conveyancer. I am now informed that as the deposit has not come from me my conveyancer needs to disclose this to my bank. I am advised that, in also acting for the bank he must advise them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I disclosed to the lender about my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really appropriate for this now to delay the deal?
Your property lawyer is duty bound to clarify with lender to make sure that they know that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to your mortgage company if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. Endon conveyancing practitioners were selected. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Santander?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Santander completed the valuation? Have you advised Santander as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Santander conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
I'm at the point of viewing apartments in Endon and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it best to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a mortgage with Virgin Money.
It would be prudent to instigate your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the EA. Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Virgin Money, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.
I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Endon. My financial adviser suggested a property lawyer. I paid an advanced payment of £175. A couple of days later, the lawyer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the RBS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the RBS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
Is it best to choose a Endon conveyancing solicitor in close proximity to the house I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can perform the conveyancing however they are based 400miles drive away.
The benefit of a high street Endon conveyancing practice is that you can visit the firm to sign documents, deliver your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local Endon know how is a benefit. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust used your friend and they were impressed that must outweigh using an unknown Endon conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being Endon based.
Threeweeks into a sale of a flat in Endon. Conveyancing lawyers are doing their job but we have been asked to pay a fortune from the managing agents. To date we have forked out £250 for a leasehold management information and then a further £134.40 for responses to questions supplied by the purchaser's conveyancer.
Neither you or your property lawyer will have any impact over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Endon leasehold premises is £355. For Endon conveyancing sales it is standard for the vendor to cover the charges. The freeholder or their agents are not duty bound to answer these questions most will agree to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices disproportionate to the work involved. Regretfully there is no statute that requires set fees for administrative tasks. There is no legal time limit by which they are obliged to supply answers.