It is a dozen years since I bought my house in Trearddur Bay. Conveyancing lawyers have just been retained on the sale but I can't track down my deeds. Will this cause complications?
You need not be too concerned. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be with your lender or they may stored with the conveyancers who acted in the purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring current official copies of the land registers. Almost all conveyancing in Trearddur Bay relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.
Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the Nationwide Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Trearddur Bay?
First, 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.
Is it the case that all Trearddur Bay CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Nottingham conveyancing list of approved firms?
Some major banks and building societies now utilise the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s 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 solicitor practices wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.
I am purchasing a property in Trearddur Bay. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Kent Reliance have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Kent Reliance your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions set out in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Kent Reliance. The CML Handbook contains minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Kent Reliance where a lease fails to comply with these requirements. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not isolated to Trearddur Bay.
I am expecting a AIP from HSBC this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do HSBC recommend any Trearddur Bay solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Trearddur Bay solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the HSBC conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and HSBC through the process.
The deeds to our home can not be found. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Trearddur Bay 4 years ago no longer exist. Will I be able to sell the house?
Gone are the days when you need to hold title original deeds to evidence that you own the land or property, as the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.
Do I need to be wary about estate agents that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a web based conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Trearddur Bay conveyancing company?
As with lots of service providers, often input from relatives can be extremely useful or valuable. Nevertheless there are many people with a vested interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and banks might all recommend lawyers to retain. Sometimes the conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but occasionally there might be a commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You have the right to select your preferred lawyer. Don't forget that some mortgage providers operate an approved list of conveyancers you have to use for the mortgage related work in your transaction.