I am hoping to complete my purchase in Peckham next Tuesday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the mortgage company. What risks does the mortgage company expect the insurance to cover?

All property lawyers on acting for mortgage companies would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 conditions. These obligations are not unique to conveyancing in Peckham.

My wife and I are downsizing from our home in Peckham and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. A high street Peckham lawyer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the purchasers instructed a national conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Peckham. We have lived in Peckham for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to obtain confirmation that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You should check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one near me in Peckham I like with open areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 61 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Peckham suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

If you need a home loan that many years will be problematic. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Peckham from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Peckham can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be warry about purchasing a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Peckham state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. If you dont have the consents to hand you should not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer first. Some Peckham leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors. You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be wise to verify this via your conveyancers. A buyer’s lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is less than 80 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without any joy. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decide on such matters? Can you recommend a Peckham conveyancing firm to represent me?

Absolutely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Peckham conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Peckham flat is 31 Kings Grove in January 2012. By a claim form issued on 11" August 2011 under action number 1LB01618 in the Lambeth County Court the applicant tenants sought dispensation under section 26 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 from the requirement to serve a notice under section 13 of that Act in order to purchase the freehold of the premises. The Tribunal decided the amount payable for the freehold as £10,728 This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 80.5 years.

We had our mortgage agreed in principle on Monday with our lender. We are using a high street conveyancer in Peckham two days ago. A couple of hours ago, our mortgage adviser phoned to advise us that the lender said that we cannot use our solicitor as they aren't on their panel. As novices, we did not have a clue that the bank had some control over our choice Is this allowed?

You are at liberty to use any lawyer you wish to select including the said conveyancer in Peckham nevertheless if they are not on the your bank's approved list you would have to fork out an extra fee so the bank can appoint their own lawyers. On occasion it is possible your solicitor may apply to get included on to the mortgage company list of approved firms. Do make the most of online tools such as lenderpanel.com to find a conveyancing solcitor in Peckham on the bank panel. You can go into your high street lender branch in Peckham. They can recommend conveyancing solicitors in Peckham on the mortgage company panel.