Is the fact that my conveyancer in Bromley is not on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of his conveyancing?

It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the Bromley conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.

We are purchasing a property and the conveyancer has identified Chancel Repair for which the property may be obligated to pay given it’s proximity to the area of such a church. He has mentioned insurance. Is this strictly required for conveyancing in Bromley

Unless a previous acquisition of the house took place post 12 October 2013 you can assume that lawyers handling conveyancing in Bromley to continue to propose a a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

How easy is it to use the search app to locate a conveyancing solicitor in Bromley on the authorised to act for my lender?

First select a lender such as National Westminster Bank, Barnsley Building Society or Clydesdale then type in your preferred area e.g. Bromley. Conveyancing firms in Bromley and nationally will then be identified.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Bromley both have about forty five years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Bromley is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the salability of the property. The majority of purchasers and banks, leases with less than 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Bromley conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord to extend my lease without success. Can a leaseholder apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Bromley conveyancing firm to represent me?

in cases where there is a absentee freeholder or if there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant legislation it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to decide the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Bromley property is 70 Andace Park Gardens 133-149 Widmore Road in November 2013. Tribunal determined that the premium payable for the lease extension was £10,052 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 72 years.

I have just had an offer accepted on an apartment in Bromley and the estate agent that we are using recommended his property lawyer. She quoted £900 plus VAT and disbursements. Does this sound reasonable?

You should not rely on one estimate. You should obtain like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in Bromley. Then choose one that you are comfortable with and crucially, is on the approved panel of the bank that you are sourcing your mortgage from.