My partner and I are planning to purchase a house in Harlesden and have appointed a Harlesden conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Chelsea Building Society have this morning contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our Harlesden solicitor is not on their conveyancing panel. Please explain?

Where you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is usual for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the purchaser's lender. 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 Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your lender 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 Harlesden solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.

I am buying a right to buy a flat in Harlesden. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Harlesden you will have to appoint a solicitor on your mortgage company's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Harlesden.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Harlesden is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Harlesden are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Harlesden you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Harlesden may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I was pointed in your direction by numerous selling agents in Harlesden to select a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your site over alternative conveyancing organisations?

We refuse to give any referral fee for directing people in our direction. We found it would be just too difficult a fee because home movers will think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Harlesden. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Harlesden ?

The majority of houses in Harlesden are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Harlesden so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Harlesden conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

I inherited a a ground floor purpose built flat in Harlesden. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the amount due for the purchase of the freehold?

Where there is a missing freeholder or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant statutes it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to calculate the price payable.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Harlesden premises is First Floor Flat 2B Fortune Gate Road in May 2013. the tribunal decided that the price payable for the lease extension was £9,331, together with £900 in respect of outstanding ground rent. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 74.31 years.