We see that you have a search directory identifying firms on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I retain them for our own conveyancing in Notting Hill?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Lloyds conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Notting Hill.

Will my solicitor be raising enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Notting Hill.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors specialising in conveyancing in Notting Hill. There are those who buy a house in Notting Hill, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Lawyers are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous searches that can be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Notting Hill. The conventional set of property information forms supplied to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) includes a standard inquiry of the owner to find out if the property has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not revealed by the seller, then a purchaser could bring a legal claim for losses resulting from an inaccurate response. A buyer’s conveyancers will also conduct an environmental search. This will indicate if there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be carried out.

I have recentlybecome aware that Arc property Solicitors have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Notting Hill for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 18 months ago. How can I check that my home is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?

The easiest way to check if the property is registered to you, you can make 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 Notting Hill conveyancing specialists.

I am purchasing my first flat in Notting Hill with a mortgage from Aldermore. The sellers refused to budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep told me not to tell my conveyancer about this deal as it may impact my mortgage with the lender. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Sixty One years remaining on my flat in Notting Hill. I am keen to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What are my options?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply 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 Court. You will be obliged to prove that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. In some cases an enquiry agent would be useful to carry out a search and prepare a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer in relation to proving the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Notting Hill.

I am the leaseholder of a ground floor flat in Notting Hill. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for the purchase of the freehold?

in cases where there is a absentee landlord or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to assess the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Notting Hill residence is 2 Grove House 95 Addison Road in October 2013. the Tribunal decided that the premium to bepaid for a new lease is £50,050. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 68.4 years.