My partner and I are planning to purchase a home in Booker and are in fact using a Booker conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Leeds Building Society have this evening contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Booker solicitor is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?

Where you are buying a property requiring a mortgage it is conventional for the purchasers' lawyers to also represent the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Booker lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

Is there a reason why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Booker costs more?

Booker leasehold conveyancing transactions usually involve additional investigations than freeholds including investigating the Lease, liaising with the Landlord such as serving applicable notices on the Landlord or managing agent, obtaining up-to-date service charge and management information, obtaining Landlord’s consents and reviewing management accounts and formation documents.

How does conveyancing in Booker differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Booker approach us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is ready to move into. This is because new home sellers in Booker tend to buy the site, 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 used to new build conveyancing in Booker or who has acted in the same development.

My partner has encouraged me to use his conveyancing solicitors in Booker. Should I use them?

No doubt it’s preferable to choose a conveyancing practitioner is to have feedback from friends or relatives who have experience in using the firm you're considering.

What type of property do your Booker conveyancing quotes apply to?

The quotes issued are only applicable to standard domestic property in England & Wales. If you have any different needs for example industrial or agricultural land or commercial conveyancing in Booker do contact us to address your requirements .