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Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the Better list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Find an Approved Solicitor on the Better HomeOwnership (Mortgages) Conveyancing Panel
Examples of recent questions relating to the Better HomeOwnership Solicitor Panel
My fiance and I are purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in London with a mortgage from Better HomeOwnership. We would like to retain our lawyer but Better HomeOwnership says he's not on their "panel". It seems we have little choice but to instruct one of the Better HomeOwnership panel solicitors or keep our solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; Can we not simply insist that Better HomeOwnership use our lawyer?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Better HomeOwnership
Our grandson is purchasing a newly built flat with a home loan from Better HomeOwnership. His solicitor has advised him of a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. Who needs to receive the form?
The form is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when asked.
The Developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it.
The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.
Is it necessary during the course of the conveyancing process to have a meeting at the offices of the Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel solicitor to sign the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Leeds
so that I can attend their offices if necessary.
Whereas this was necessary twenty years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Leeds
.
My uncle passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the house. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Better HomeOwnership , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this allowed?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Better HomeOwnership will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Better HomeOwnership mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
Can I be sure that the solicitor on the Better HomeOwnership panel is any good?
obtaining recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always suggest that you speak with the solicitor handling your transaction
Hi, thinking about buying a house off my mate. Once we agree a price, what’s the best way to proceed? I hope to get a mortgage with Better HomeOwnership. Is it possible to avoid using solicitors to save us both money? My dad reckons back in the day he did a lot of it himself, just went into the land registry office and providing them with the info they needed himself
If you are getting a mortgage with Better HomeOwnership involved you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel. We would not encourage you to both use the same solicitors' firm. There are clear conflict of interest issues and it's not going to make a huge difference to the speed of the overall process. So as not to hold things us you should pass on your solicitors details to Better HomeOwnership. Feel free to use our search tool to look for a licensed conveyancer or solicitor on the Better HomeOwnership conveyancing panel.
My ex -wife’s name is on the Better HomeOwnership mortgage of my property but not on the land registry. The apartment was transferred to me on our divorce many years ago by way of a sealed court order. Does my ex still have a say on the sale even though the land registry showing the property in my name alone? Will I be required to take her name of the Better HomeOwnership mortgage in order to sell?
As regards the Better HomeOwnership mortgage, it is unusual that your ex-wife’s name remains on the mortgage but not on the title. It is conceivable that this is an oversight on the part of your conveyancers to ensure that her name was removed or even an administrative error on the part of Better HomeOwnership in failing to update their data. In any event, it should cause difficulty providing her name no longer appears on the Land Registry title and you have a court order ordering that the property is transferred to you.