Me and my fiance are purchasing a 1 bedroom flat in Lea Bridge with a mortgage. We like our Lea Bridge solicitor, however the lender advise he's not on their "panel". It seems we have no choice but to appoint one of the lender panel solicitors or retain our Lea Bridge solicitor as well as pay for one of their panel firms to act for them. We regard this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms 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. Another option that might be available is for your Lea Bridge conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Are you able to suggest a Barclays approved Lea Bridge conveyancing lawyer who can have us moved in within a very limited time frame? Would it be better to use a local Lea Bridge conveyancer or an internet conveyancer?

We can recommend some very good Lea Bridge conveyancing firms. You can also walk up the main road in Lea Bridge. Approach a couple of law practices and request to see a conveyancing solicitor for a fee estimate. Discuss your expectations together with your reasons and get a commitment on speed. Choose the one that genuine.

My colleague recommended that if I am purchasing in Lea Bridge I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Lea Bridge conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Lea Bridge around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Lea Bridge Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Lea Bridge.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing lawyer in Lea Bridge for my house move. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?

Members of the public may review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations commenced on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded telephone calls for training reasons.

I only have Fifty years remaining on my lease in Lea Bridge. I now want to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have used your best endeavours to find the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent would be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Lea Bridge.

We have reached the end of our tether in trying to purchase the freehold in Lea Bridge. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

if there is a missing freeholder or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to calculate the amount due.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Lea Bridge flat is 104 Nightingale Road in May 2009. The Tribunal's Decision is that the premium torbe paid for the enfranchisement in this case is £112,174 This case was in relation to 10 flats. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 71.25 years.