Do lenders provide you with an approved list of Pound Hill conveyancing solicitors? How do you know who is on the RBS conveyancing panel?
Pound Hill conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the RBS conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from RBS directly.
Please explain the implications if my solicitor is expelled from the Santander Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Pound Hill?
The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as HSBC, do Pound Hill lawyers face an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are unaware of any lender fees to be on their panel, although some do levy an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Pound Hill. I have a mortgage offer with Clydesdale. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Clydesdale, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel.
The mortgage over my property is with Lloyds for my property in Pound Hill. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Lloyds?
Your original mortgage agreement with Lloyds will provide that you need their approval in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Lloyds’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Lloyds directly. You need not do this via a Lloyds conveyancing panel lawyer.
How does conveyancing in Pound Hill differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Pound Hill approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because builders in Pound Hill typically acquire the real estate, 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 Pound Hill or who has acted in the same development.
What tools are available to identify a Pound Hill solicitor on the Platform Home Loans Ltd conveyancing panel? I have wheels and am prepared to travel upto 20miles to meet the solicitor.
You can use the tool on this website. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of Pound Hill conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have detailed some Pound Hill conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can call them to verify if they are on the Platform Home Loans Ltd approved list