Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Stevenage is not on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of his conveyancing?
That is more than likely an incorrect assumption to make. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Stevenage conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
This question may be naive but I am wet behind the ears as FTB of a ground floor flat in Stevenage. Do I pick up the keys to the house on the completion date from my solicitor? If this is the case, I will appoint a local conveyancing solicitor in Stevenage?
There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the purchase money to the seller's solicitors, and once they have received this, you will be invited to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen early afternoon.
Can you point me to a directory of Kent Reliance panel solicitors in Stevenage on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?
Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few lenders make their panel listings viewable over the internet. If you are looking for a Stevenage conveyancing practitioner on the Kent Reliance please use our tool.
After what feels like an age I have had an offer on an apartment in Stevenage agreed to, the sellers do nevertheless have a connected purchase. The sellers have offered on somewhere, however it’s not yet tied up, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Stevenage. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with Coventry BS started?
It is understandable to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (home loan application is approx £1k, then survey, Stevenage conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to check that your property lawyer is on the Coventry BS approved list. Concerning the next steps this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to this property and on the state of the market. In a hot market some home buyers would apply for a home loan with Coventry BS and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their property lawyer to move forward with searches.
I have justbeen informed that Action Conveyancing have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Stevenage for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 10 months ago. How can I establish that my home is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?
The quickest method to check if the property is registered to you, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Stevenage conveyancing specialists.
How does conveyancing in Stevenage differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Stevenage come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because new home sellers in Stevenage tend to 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 conveyancers 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Stevenage or who has acted in the same development.
I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Stevenage for my house move. Is there any facility to check a firm’s record with the legal regulator?
You can find documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may recorded telephone calls for training purposes.