I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and have to leave my rented apartment in London by 10/9/2024. Conveyancing for my house purchase is progressing. Is it possible to complete in three weeks as don't want to have to find temporary accommodation?

The normal practice is not to give notice for your tenancy until exchange of contracts has taken place. If you have not previously done so, contact to your lawyer and request that they apply pressure on the sellers solicitors, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will work towards

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in London? Why is this being asked of me?

To satisfy the Money Laundering Regulations any London conveyancing firm will require evidence of your identity in all conveyancing transactions. This is usually dealt with by provision of a passport and an original bank statement or utility bill evidencing where you live.

In accordance with Money Laundering Regulations, conveyancing solicitors are obliged by law to validate not simply the ID of conveyancing clients but also the source of monies that they receive in respect of any matter. An unwillingness to disclose this will result in your conveyancer ending their relationship with you, as clearly this will cause a conflict between the set Regulations and a refusal to disclose.

Your property lawyers are duty bound to inform the appropriate authorities should they believe that any monies received by them may contravene the Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules.

About to purchase a new build flat in London. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in London

Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore.

Am I better off to instruct a London conveyancing practitioner based in the area that I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can deal with the legal work however his firm is located 300miles drive away.

The primary upside of using a local London conveyancing firm is that you can pop in to execute documents, hand in your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. They will also have local intelligence which is a benefit. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have used your friend and they were content that must surpass using an unfamiliar London conveyancing lawyer just because they are London based.

Back In 2004, I bought a leasehold flat in London. Conveyancing and Leeds Building Society mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing practitioner in London who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a London conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

After years of dialogue we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in London. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a London conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a London flat is 20 Avonwick Road in July 2013. The Tribunal was dealing with an application under Section 26 of the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 for a determination of the freehold value of the property. It was concluded that the price to be paid was Fifteen Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy (£15,970) divided as to £8,200 for Flat 20 and £7,770 for Flat 20A This case was in relation to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 73.26 years.