We were just about to exchange contracts for a property in Chelsea. We encountered a problem. Our mortgage offer with Clydesdale runs out on 7/4/2026 but the vendors are suggesting a completion date of 9/4/2026. Is it possible to prolong the loan offer?

The person best placed to address this question is your conveyancer who should calculate whether he or she is corresponding with the bank, owner’s solicitors, selling agents or conceivably all three given what has gone on in your house move to date.

Do I have to attend the offices of the solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Chelsea so that I can pop in to their offices if necessary.

Whereas this was necessary 12 years ago, most banks no longer oblige their conveyancing panel lawyer to witness the borrowers signature. It will still be necessary for you to provide identification documents and there are still distinct advantages to choosing a local practitioner, in your situation a conveyancing solicitor in Chelsea.

There is lots of information on this site concerning conveyancing in Chelsea but can you isolate your top tip for selecting the right conveyancer in Chelsea

We would encourage you not to go for the lowest Chelsea conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. 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 know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of time.

My wife and I are in the process of looking at apartments in Chelsea and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it wise to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a mortgage with Virgin Money.

It would be wise to commence your search sooner rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the estate agent. As you are taking out a mortgage with Virgin Money, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Chelsea. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their conveyancing practitioner. I paid an upfront payment of £175. Not long after, the property lawyer contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Bank of Ireland panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Chelsea. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Chelsea

If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Please supply a car parking plan.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Chelsea. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

My wife and I have hit a brick wall in trying to purchase the freehold in Chelsea. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?

Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a Chelsea conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Chelsea premises is 150A Albert Palace Mansions Lurline Gardens in July 2013. The Tribunal determined that the premium payable for the new lease of the subject property was £42,069 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 57.06 years.