I am progressing with the sale of my maisonette in Havering-atte-Bower and the estate agent has just text me to warn that the buyers are switching conveyancer. The excuse is that the bank will only work with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major mortgage company only engage with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Havering-atte-Bower ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

The Havering-atte-Bower conveyancing firm handling our Havering-atte-Bower conveyancing has spotted an inconsistency when comparing the information in the valuation survey and what is in the conveyancing documents. My solicitor informs me that he is obliged to check that the bank is OK with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my conveyancer’s approach correct?

Your lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.

I have todaybeen informed that Stirling Law have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in Havering-atte-Bower for a purchase of a leasehold flat 9 months ago. How can I establish that my home is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?

The easiest way to see if the property is registered to you, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Havering-atte-Bower conveyancing specialists.

I own a leasehold house in Havering-atte-Bower. Conveyancing and Barclays Direct mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Havering-atte-Bower who acted for me is not around. What should I do?

First contact HMLR to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to instruct a Havering-atte-Bower conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

After years of correspondence we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Havering-atte-Bower. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

Most certainly. We can put you in touch with a Havering-atte-Bower conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Havering-atte-Bower residence is 37 Lodge Court High Street in November 2013. the decision of the LVT was that the premium to be paid for the new lease was £25,559 This case affected 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 57.5 years.

I am purchasing a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Havering-atte-Bower who is on the lender conveyancing panel. Can you recommend a Havering-atte-Bower or local Havering-atte-Bower solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for the lender who do conveyancing in Havering-atte-Bower. We dont recommend any particular firm.