I am under pressure from the seller of a property in Bilston and Bradley to sign contracts within four weeks. What can be done to expedite the legal process?

In a situation where you are under pressure for your conveyancing we would recommend that your solicitor is familiar with the area as they will benefit local connections and knowledge. It is even conceivable that they may have transacted previoushouses in the same street. You would be best advised to use a Bilston and Bradley conveyancing solicitor. Second, make sure that the conveyancing firm is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is believed that just under twenty per cent of Bilston and Bradley conveyancing deals are delayed or jeopardised after discovering a buyer’s conveyancer was not on their mortgage lender’s member panel. In many cases this discovery resulted in the legal transfer of property being frustrated by almost three weeks. It is said that this issue impacts in the region of one hundred thousand home moves annually. Most Bilston and Bradley conveyancing practices can not act for certain mortgage companies so do check at the outset.

Is there a reason why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Bilston and Bradley is more expensive?

Bilston and Bradley leasehold conveyancing transactions usually involve additional investigations than freeholds including investigating the Lease, liaising with the Landlord such as serving relevant 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.

Having invested time reviewing mumsnet.com for a cheap lawyer in Bilston and Bradley, many advise that I should look for a CQS assured solicitor. What is CQS?

The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) provides a kitemark for residential conveyancing practices issued by the Law Society. Membership achievement establishes a level of credibility for member firms with stakeholders (regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers) based upon: * the integrity of the senior responsible officer and other key conveyancing staff * the firm's adherence to good practice management standards * adherence to prudent and efficient conveyancing processes via the scheme protocol the standard covers numerous partnerships who perform conveyancing in Bilston and Bradley.

What is your number one tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Bilston and Bradley

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Bilston and Bradley conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

Is it correct that all Bilston and Bradley CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing list of approved firms?

Some major lenders now make use of CQS as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of firms.

Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Bilston and Bradley. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.

Am in the process of buying my 1st home in Bilston and Bradley. Conveyancing lawyer already selected. The broker suggested that a survey is not appropriate as the property was only built 22 years ago.

You would be best advised to undertake a Home Buyer's Report. As the residence is over 10 years old the property will not benefit from a warranty, so you don't want to take a risk. Where a property of this age shows no signs of problems a Home Buyer's report could suffice. The report should highlight any apparent problems and suggest further investigation if appropriate. If there are any signs of material issues get a full structural survey.