When it comes to mortgage companies such as Virgin Money, do South Croydon solicitors incur a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any mortgage company fees to be on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

We have agreed to purchase a house in South Croydon. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender TSB be concerned?

Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with TSB your lawyer must check the formal instructions contained in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for TSB. The CML Handbook sets out minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to TSB where a lease fails to comply with these specifications. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not isolated to South Croydon.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in South Croydon. I have a mortgage offer with Skipton. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Skipton, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel.

I have todayfound out that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in South Croydon for a purchase of a leasehold flat 9 months ago. How can I establish that the property is in my name in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest way to check if the premises is registered to you, you can carry out 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 South Croydon conveyancing specialists.

How does conveyancing in South Croydon differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build property in South Croydon come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is ready to move into. This is because house builders in South Croydon tend to buy the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in South Croydon or who has acted in the same development.

I decided to have a survey completed on a property in South Croydon before retaining solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor has said that some banks may refuse to give a loan on this type of home.

It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you e-mail us we can investigate further with the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in South Croydon. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in South Croydon to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.

What can I expect to pay for conveyancing in South Croydon?

Almost all South Croydon conveyancing firms will charge a standard fee. If further work become due during the transaction your conveyancer is duty bound to inform you in writing of such further charges for such work as soon as it becomes apparent. Some work on a no move no charge basis, others will levy an bill for a fraction of the agreed charges, depending on the point at which the matter aborts.

We would recommend that you obtain two or three conveyancers to give you an estimate.