We are selling our house in Neath. Does my solicitor have to be on the HSBC conveyancing panel in order to deal with the discharge 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 specifications fairly frequently at the moment.

Are all Neath Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Clydesdale conveyancing list of approved firms?

A selection of banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

Can you point me to a directory of HSBC panel solicitors in Neath on the Building Society Association’s Website?

No. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of mortgage companies make their panel listings visible online. Where you are seeking to appoint a Neath property lawyer on the HSBC please make the most of our facility.

My wife and I are at the point of looking at houses in Neath and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a conveyancing practitioner in place at this stage? I intend to finance via a home loan with Barclays.

It would be wise to start 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 pass their contact information on to the estate agent. As you are taking out a mortgage with Barclays, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel.

How does conveyancing in Neath differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Neath contact us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is finished. This is because new home sellers in Neath usually purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Neath or who has acted in the same development.

I'm refinancing my primary property to a BTL mortgage with Barclays Direct and I will use the ballance of the raised equity as a deposit on further property. The location we are interested in is Neath. Will your conveyancers be able to act for the two mortgage companies and link together the two deals?

Do use our comparison tool on this site to ensure that the lawyers are approved by both banks. On the basis that they are your lawyer will be able to simultaneously deal with the two conveyancing matters but you should have a chat with you solicitor and communicate your desired outcome and requirements.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Neath with the intention of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Neath can be bypassed where you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers’ solicitors.
You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check via your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is under 75 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Neath leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. Where you dont have the consents to hand do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your conveyancer before hand. If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share certificate. Organising a new share certificate can be a lengthy process and slows down many a Neath home move. If a new share is needed, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.

Neath Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments? The answer will be important as a) areas could cause problems for the building as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where services are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the managing agents you will want to know about it How long is the Lease?