I had intended to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Bow for our home move. Our financial adviser has since advised us that our mortgage company TSB won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unduly restrictive?

A mortgage company can direct that an approved solicitor act for it. You would be expected to meet the charges for this. Try using our database to find a solicitor to conduct conveyancing in Bow on the TSB member panel.

2 months have elapsed since my purchase conveyancing in Bow concluded. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £180,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in last month in what should have been a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Bow is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Bow are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Bow you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Bow may decide 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 property.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Bow for my home move. Can I check a firm’s record with the legal regulator?

You may see presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find details Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could recorded telephone calls for training reasons.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Bow with the aim of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Bow can be avoided where you appoint lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers’ representatives.
If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be warry about purchasing a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing. You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check via your solicitors. A buyer’s lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is less than 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an early stage that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. Many freeholders or managing agents in Bow levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Bow. If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Arranging a re-issued share certificate can be a time consuming process and delays many a Bow home move. Where a reissued share is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

I am the leaseholder of a ground floor flat in Bow. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for the purchase of the freehold?

in cases where there is a absentee landlord or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant legislation it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to determine the premium.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Bow flat is 26 Rhondda Grove in June 2009. The net price payable by the leaseholders as determined by the Tribunal was £3,015.13. This comprised £11,300 premium for the reversion less £8,284.87 costs as ordered by the County Court.