I am nearing exchange of contracts for my flat in Whitworth and the EA has just telephoned to warn that the buyers are appointing a new solicitor. The excuse is that the lender will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major lender only deal with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Whitworth ?
Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Santander, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for many years.
Banks point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms 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 purchasers are unlikely to have any impact on this.
Can I use your services to recommend a Conveyancing solicitor in Whitworth even where I’m not buying or disposing of a house, for example where I wish to acquire an office in Whitworth with a loan from Barclays ?
Our search tool is mainly utilised to find residential conveyancing solicitors in Whitworth but we have set out towards the end of this page some Whitworth commercial conveyancing firms. You will need to make contact with the firm directly to establish if they can also act for Barclays
My property lawyer in Whitworth has never been on on the Santander Solicitor Panel. Can I still use my family solicitor even though they are excluded from the Santander list of approved lawyers?
Your options are as follows:
- Carry on with your existing Whitworth solicitors but Santander will need to use a lawyer on their panel. This will result in additional total legal charges as well as result in delays.
- Get a new solicitor to to deal with the purchase, not forgetting to check they are Santander approved.
- Persuade your Santander solicitor to seek to join the Santander panel
About to purchase a new build apartment in Whitworth. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.
Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Whitworth
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Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Whitworth is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can give?
Flying freeholds in Whitworth are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Whitworth you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Whitworth may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.