I am expecting a mortgage offer from Halifax. I intend to use a Licensed Conveyancer in Fairlop. Does the Halifax Conveyancing panel exclude Licensed Conveyancers?

The Halifax conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, represented by the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

My fiance and I intend to purchase a purpose built flat in Fairlop with a residential mortgage from Nationwide Building Society.We would like to retain our Fairlop conveyancing practitioner but Nationwide Building Society advised that his firm is not on their approved list of firms. we are left little option but to use a Nationwide Building Society panel firm or retain our high street solicitor and pay for a Nationwide Building Society panel lawyer to act for them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Nationwide Building Society use our lawyer?

Unfortunately,no. The home loan issued to you is subject to its various provisions, one of which will be that lawyers will be on the Nationwide Building Society solicitor panel. in the past, most banks had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Nationwide Building Society

My friend recommended that if I am buying in Fairlop I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Fairlop conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing significant information about Fairlop around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Fairlop Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Fairlop Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Fairlop.

We're first time buyers - had an offer accepted, but the selling agent informed us that the vendor will only move forward if we appoint the agent's chosen solicitors as they need an ‘expedited deal’. We would rather use a local solicitor used to conveyancing in Fairlop

It is unlikely the sellers are driving this. Should the owner want ‘a quick sale', turning down a serious buyer is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Bypass the agents and go straight to the owners and explain that (a)you are genuine buyers (b)you are ready to progress, with finances in place © you are chain free (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you are going to instruct your preferred Fairlop conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will provide the negotiator at the agency a referral fee or achieve conveyancing thresholds pre-set by corporate headquarters.

I am a negotiator for a reputable estate agent office in Fairlop where we have experienced a few flat sales derailed due to short leases. I have been given inconsistent advice from local Fairlop conveyancing solicitors. Please can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can start the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord to extend my lease without any joy. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such matters? Can you recommend a Fairlop conveyancing firm to help?

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

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Fairlop flat is 104 Coventry Road in July 2014. The Tribunal determined that the lease extension permium should be £22,896.15 This case related to 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 60.29 years.