My partner and I are planning to buy a house in New Addington and are in fact using a New Addington conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. have this morning contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our New Addington conveyancer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?

If you are buying a property needing a mortgage it is standard 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 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 don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own New Addington solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

Me and my partner are buying a property in New Addington. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we have to deposit our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

What is your number one tip for finding a conveyancing solicitor in New Addington

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the lowest New Addington conveyancing fees. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

I am assisting my sister sell her house in New Addington. Will the conveyancer order the EPC or should I organise this?

After the demise of Home Packs, energy assessments was kept a required component of selling a house. An energy performance certificate needs to be to hand prior to the property being advertised. It is not something that solicitors ordinarily organise. Where you are instructing a New Addington conveyancing lawyer they may be able to arrange EPC’s given their relationships with long established New Addington providers

I am buying a new build apartment in New Addington. 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 legal work.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in New Addington

Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company?

I purchased a basement flat in New Addington, conveyancing having been completed 1995. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in New Addington with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease terminates on 21st October 50

With only 50 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £36,100 and £41,800 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.

There are numerous properties in New Addington on private roads. I am buying one such house. What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying a residence on a privately owned road?

New Addington conveyancing solicitors are used to dealing houseson private. Your should investigate Land Registry data to find any rights or liabilities. It is possible that there is a management company (wholly owned by residents) that owners pay into for the upkeep of the road. If there is one, the road should be maintained and appear nicer than publicly maintained.