I am helping my step-mother sell her flat in Spitalfields. Does the solicitor commission the EPC or do I organise this?

After the demise of Home Packs, EPC’s remained a compulsory part of moving property. An EPC must be commissioned before the property is marketed. It is not something that lawyers ordinarily arrange. Where you are instructing a Spitalfields conveyancing practitioner they may be willing to arrange energy assessments due to their contacts with reputable local energy assessors

It is not clear whether my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have telephoned my Spitalfields bank branch on various occasions and was informed it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Spitalfields conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- called and was told they would not lend in accordance with their specific requirements. I have no idea who is right.

Provided that the solicitor is on the bank panel, they must follow the CML Handbook requirements for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

I recently had an offer agreed on a house in Spitalfields. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their solicitor. I paid an advanced payment of £200. A couple of days later, the property lawyer contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Principality conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Principality panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Spitalfields?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Spitalfields. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Spitalfields. 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.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Spitalfields

There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. 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. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared.

In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial property in Spitalfields and how can you help?

The 1954 Act provides security of tenure to business tenants, giving them the legal entitlement to make a request to court for a new tenancy and remain in occupation when the lease comes to an end. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complex. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing solicitors who use the act for protection and assist with commercial conveyancing in Spitalfields

I am looking for a conveyancing solicitor in Spitalfields for my house move. Is it possible to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

You can review documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from inquisitions started on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes monitor call for training reasons.