I am one month into the sale of my house in Kinmel Bay and the EA has just text me to say that the purchasers are appointing a new law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only engage with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a leading lender only deal with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Kinmel Bay ?
Banks have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in the last few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 15 years.
Lending institutions blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. No lender will say 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. Plenty of firms 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. Your buyers are not going to have any impact on this.
I have Fifty Six years left on my lease and require a lease extension for my apartment in Kinmel Bay. Conveyancing solicitors on the Chelsea Building Society panel can deal with such extensions correct?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 27/7/2025 the requirements read as follows :
My wife and I own a terraced Georgian property in Kinmel Bay. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Aldermore. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same address. Is it worth asking Aldermore to clarify?
You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Kinmel Bay and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.
Taking into account that I will soon part with over three hundred thousand on a terraced house in Kinmel Bay I wish to talk to a lawyer regarding thehome move ahead of giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?
Absolutely - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the lawyer who will be doing your property ownership legalities in Kinmel Bay.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important individual, not a file reference. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are quoted for residential conveyancing in Kinmel Bay should be the figure that you end up paying.
I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor for freehold conveyancing in Kinmel Bay. I have land on a site which seems to have the ideal offering If it is possible to get all this stuff completed via web that would be ideal. Do I need to be concerned? What should out be looking out for?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?