My husband and I are planning to acquire a flat in Hammersmith And Fulham and have instructed a Hammersmith And Fulham conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our conveyancer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. The Royal Bank of Scotland have this evening contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Hammersmith And Fulham conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?

If you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is usual for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Hammersmith And Fulham solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

My husband and I are approaching an exchange on a property in Hammersmith And Fulham and my parents have transferred the 10% deposit to my conveyancer. I am now informed that as the deposit has been sent from someone other than me my solicitor needs to make a notification to my mortgage company. Apparently, in also acting for the mortgage company he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I informed the bank about my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really appropriate for this now to delay the deal?

The solicitor is legally required to clarify with the bank to ensure that they know that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to your lender if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

How does conveyancing in Hammersmith And Fulham differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Hammersmith And Fulham approach us having been asked by the developer to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because house builders in Hammersmith And Fulham usually buy 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Hammersmith And Fulham or who has acted in the same development.

I am using a search engine for the words on line conveyancing in Hammersmith And Fulham it brings up numerous solicitorsin the area. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right property lawyer for my move?

The ideal method of finding a suitable conveyancer is via trusted referral, so enquire of friends and those you trust who have bought a property in Hammersmith And Fulham or a local estate agent or financial adviser. Costs for conveyancing in Hammersmith And Fulham differ, so it's sensible to obtain at least four fee calculations from varying types of property lawyers. Dont forget to clarify what costs in the quote includes.

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor flat in Hammersmith And Fulham. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, however I have recently had a yearly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the maintenance contribution as usual because all rents and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Hammersmith And Fulham - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Its a good idea to find out as much as possible concerning the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day matters such as the tidiness of the common parts. Enquire of other people if they are happy with their service. On a final note, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the appropriate party and specifically what you get for your money. Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability? Make sure you find out if there are any onerous restrictions in the lease. For instance plenty of leases prohibit pets being allowed in certain buildings in Hammersmith And Fulham. If you love the flatin Hammersmith And Fulham yet your dog can’t move with you then you will be presented with a hard compromise.