Why is leasehold purchase conveyancing in Colindale costs more?

In short, leasehold conveyancing in Colindale and North London usually involve additional work compared to freehold conveyancing. This includes reviewing the lease, corresponding with the landlord concerning the service of required notices, obtaining up-to-date service charge and management information, securing the freeholder’s consents and reviewing management accounts. The obligations on both the landlord and the tenant in the lease need to be studied by the buyer’s conveyancing team and read from beginning to end – regardless of the fact the lease has passed through many different property solicitors hands since it was first entered into.

I had intended to instruct a property lawyer in Colindale for our house move. Our financial adviser has since advised us that our mortgage company Chelsea Building Society won't deal with them. Surely this is unfair competition?

A decade ago most mortgage companies had a different appetite for risk. Almost all Colindale conveyancing firms would have been on most lender panels. The FSA in 2010 completed a thematic review into mortgage fraud which come to the conclusion: mortgage lenders should know the conveyancing solicitors dealt with. Consequently, lenders have regularly sought more information from law firms concerning their operations and their employees and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum number of transactions. Many Colindale conveyancing firms that have been excluded from lender panels have Unblemished track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Colindale is amongst the many areas where the conveyancers we list are members of the panel for Chelsea Building Society.

We are purchasing a house in Colindale. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we have to send funds into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as a first time buyer of a two bedroom flat in Colindale. Do I receive the keys to the house on the completion date from my solicitor? If so, I will use a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Colindale?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the completion advance to the seller's lawyers, and once they have received this, you will be able to collect the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.

My father informed me that in buying a property in Colindale there may be various restrictions limiting what one can do in terms of external alterations to a property. Is this right?

There are anumerous of properties in Colindale which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external variations. Part of the conveyancing in Colindale should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

How easy is it to transfer to a new conveyancer as I need to select a firm on the The Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. I had appointed a family conveyancing solicitor in Colindale round the corner but the firm is not accepted by The Royal Bank of Scotland

It would be our pleasure to help you find a conveyancing solicitor in Colindale on the The Royal Bank of Scotland panel. Please note that the solicitors that we work with do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are fully regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Colindale. In making use of the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this site, you can scrutinise charges for conveyancing solicitors in Colindale and throughout England and Wales.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Colindale. Conveyancing and Lloyds TSB Bank mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Colindale who acted for me is not around. What should I do?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Colindale conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am the registered owner of a first floor flat in Colindale. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the amount due for the purchase of the freehold?

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

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Colindale premises is 27B Hillside in February 2010. the resulting premium, all other aspects of the valuation having been agreed between the parties was set at £8,250 This case affected 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 70.25 years.