Are the Folkestone conveyancing solicitors identified as being on the Lloyds conveyancing panel, together with their details provided by Lloyds?

Folkestone conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Lloyds conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Lloyds directly.

My flat in Folkestone is up for sale and I have accepted an offer. Will my conveyancer have to be required to be on the HSBC conveyancing panel in order to deal with repayment of my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the HSBC conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their conditions fairly frequently in recent years.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Coventry BS, do Folkestone conveyancing practitioners face a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any lender fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do levy an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

My partner and I have arranged the release of further funds on our mortgage from UBS as we intend to carry out improvements to our house in Folkestone. Are we obliged to choose a bricks and mortar Folkestone solicitor on the UBS conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

UBS would not normally instruct a member of their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the UBS conveyancing panel.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Folkestone. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

We are one month into a freehold purchase having been directed to solicitors by the high street agent to carry out the conveyancing in Folkestone. I am am extremely disappointed with the quality of service. Could you help me find new solicitors?

A conveyancer would need to be really bad to suggest diss instructing them. Has your loan offer been issued? If so you need to inform them of the new contact details and have the offer are re-sent. The solicitor ideally needs to be on the mortgage company panel to avoid added expenses and delays. So that should be your first question of the new lawyers. Our search tool will help you find a lender approved conveyancer for your home move in Folkestone

Helen (my wife) and I may need to sub-let our Folkestone basement flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Folkestone conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Even though your previous Folkestone conveyancing solicitor is no longer around you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The accepted inference is that if the deeds are non-specific, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you must seek consent via your landlord or some other party prior to subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet without first obtaining permission. Such consent must not not be unreasonably turned down. If the lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

Folkestone Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

What is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the flat? The best form of lease arrangement is if the freehold interest is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this scenario the lessees have control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is often retained where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. Its a good idea to discover as much as possible regarding the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical matters such as the tidiness of the common parts. Ask prospective neighbours whether they are happy with them. Finally, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money.