It is a dozen years since I purchased my house in Sidcup. Conveyancing solicitors have just been retained on the sale but I am unable to find the deeds. Is this a problem?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be with your lender or they could be in the possession of the conveyancers who oversaw the purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Sidcup involves registered property but in the rare situation where your property is unregistered it is more tricky but is not insurmountable.

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Sidcup. My lender is The Mortgage Works

The Mortgage Works have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 21/8/2025, the requirements read as follows :

I need some quick conveyancing in Sidcup as I am faced with an ultimatum to complete in less than one month. A mortgage is not required. Is it possible to escape the need for conveyancing searches to save money and time?

As you are not taking a mortgage you have the choice not to do searches although no conveyancer would recommend that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Sidcup the following are examples of issues that can show up and adversely impact market value: Refused Planning Applications, Overdue Fees, Outstanding Grants, Road Schemes,...

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a quick, chain free conveyancing. Sidcup is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can give?

Flying freeholds in Sidcup are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Sidcup you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Sidcup may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I work for a busy estate agency in Sidcup where we have experienced a number of flat sales derailed as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received contradictory information from local Sidcup conveyancing solicitors. Can you clarify whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Sidcup. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the amount payable for the purchase of the freehold?

Where there is a missing freeholder or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to judgment on the price.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Sidcup property is 103a Footscray Road in January 2014. The tribunal determines that the premium payable for the extended lease should be £34,500 according to the expert witness valuation calculation This case was in relation to 1 flat.