I am five weeks into the sale of my apartment in Brixton and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are changing their conveyancer. The excuse is that the lender will only engage with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a big named lender only engage with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Brixton ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for over 25 years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise 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 not going to have any sway in the decision.

I have given 8 weeks notice to my current landlord and must be out of my let out flat in Brixton by the end of next month. Conveyancing on my purchase is progressing. How realistic is it to complete in three weeks as I wish to avoid having to move into short term accommodation?

Generally one should not provide notice on a rental unless you have exchanged. If you have not already done so, speak to your lawyer and request that they cajole the other lawyers, try to a target completion date that all parties will work towards

How does conveyancing in Brixton differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Brixton come to us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is completed. This is because new home sellers in Brixton usually acquire the land, 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 property lawyers 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 Brixton or who has acted in the same development.

Taking into account that I am about to spend £400,000 on a property in Brixton I would like to have a conversation with the lawyer regarding thehouse move in advance of giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we encourage - we would be happy to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the conveyancer who will be carrying out your property ownership legalities in Brixton.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important person, not a file number. The law firms that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Brixton should be the figure that you are charged.

After months of dialogue we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Brixton. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Brixton conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Brixton premises is 66 Southwell Road in March 2012. By Order of Deputy District Judge Stone dated 25 January 2012 a vesting order was made. The determination of the purchase price was referred to the Tribunal who decided that the amount payable for the freehold should be£29,612.00 This case affected 3 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 72.58 years.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Brixton what are the most frequent lease defects?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Brixton. Most leases are drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

A duty to insure the building Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the property

You may have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Birmingham Midshires, Virgin Money, and Alliance & Leicester all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to pull out.