I am one month into the sale of my house in Holborn and the estate agent has just telephoned to say that the buyers are swapping law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only deal with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a major mortgage company only deal with certain law firms rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Holborn ?
Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, but in the past few years big names such as Santander, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 15 years.
Banks justify this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.
Are you able to recommend a The Mortgage Works sanctioned Holborn conveyancing firm that can complete within a short deadline? Would it be better to use a local Holborn firm or a factory type conveyancer?
We would be happy to suggest some excellent Holborn conveyancing firms. Another option is to visit the main road in Holborn. Approach two or three law practices and request to see a conveyancing solicitor for a costs illustration. Discuss your requirements together with the reasons and get an assurance on speed. Choose the one that appears most efficient.
How difficult is it to swap conveyancer as I need to select a firm on the Halifax conveyancing panel. I instructed a family conveyancing solicitor in Holborn five minutes from me but the firm is not approved by Halifax
We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Holborn on the Halifax panel. Please note that the conveyancers that we work with do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are registered with the SRA who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Holborn. In utilising search facility on this website, you can scrutinise costs for conveyancing solicitors in Holborn and throughout England and Wales.
My husband and I are one month into a residential purchase having been referred to a firm by the selling agent to execute conveyancing in Holborn. I am not happy. Can you help me find new lawyers?
They would have to be very poor in order to consider changing them. Has your loan offer been issued? In the event that it has you will need to inform them of the new conveyancer and get the mortgage documents are re-issued. The solicitor ideally needs to be on the mortgage company panel to avoid supplemental charges and frustration. So that should be your first question of the new lawyers. Our find a solicitor tool can assist you in finding a bank approved lawyer for your home move in Holborn
There are only Sixty One years unexpired on my flat in Holborn. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is can not be found. What should I do?
On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to locate the landlord. In some cases a specialist may be useful to conduct investigations and to produce a report to be used as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Holborn.
After years of correspondence we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Holborn. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?
in cases where there is a missing landlord or if there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to judgment on the price payable.
An example of a Lease Extension case for a Holborn residence is Flat 89 Trinity Court Grays Inn Road in February 2013. the Tribunal found that the premium to be paid by the tenant on the grant of a new lease, in accordance with section 56 and Schedule 13 to the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 should be £36,229. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 66.8 years.