I am selling my home in Surbiton and the EA has just telephoned to say that the buyers are appointing a new conveyancer. The excuse is that the lender will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a major lender only work with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Surbiton ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, but in recent years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 15 years.

Lenders blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are not going to have any impact on this.

We were just about to sign contracts for a freehold house in Surbiton. We encountered a problem. Our loan offer with Britannia runs out on 10/4/2019 but the vendors are suggesting a completion date of 12/4/2019. Can one extend the loan expiry date?

The best person to address this issue is your lawyer who is in a position to calculate if they better off negotiating with the bank, vendor’s conveyancers, selling agents or possibly all parties based on the circumstances your transaction as of today.

In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Surbiton? What am I being asked for?

Surbiton conveyancing solicitors and indeed property lawyers throughout the UK have a duty under money laundering regulations to verify the identity of any client in order to ensure that clients are who they say they are.

Conveyancing clients are required to provide two forms of certified ID; proof of identity (typically a Passport or Driving Licence) and proof of address (typically a Bank Statement no older than three months).

Evidence of the origin of monies is also necessary in accordance with the money laundering laws as solicitors are obliged to investigate that the funds you are using to buy a property (be it the exchange deposit or the total purchase amount where you are a cash purchaser) has come from legitimate source (such as employment savings) and is not the product of illegitimate activity.

In sourcing the world wide web for the words on line conveyancing in Surbiton it brings up numerous property lawyersin the vicinity. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancer for me?

The best way of finding the right conveyancer is via personal recommendation, so ask friends and relatives who have bought a property in Surbiton or a reputable estate agent or mortgage broker. Costs for conveyancing in Surbiton differ, so it's sensible to request a minimum of four quotes from varying types of law firms. Be sure to seek confirmation what costs in the quote includes.

I have recently realised that I have Fifty years unexpired on my flat in Surbiton. I now want to extend my lease but my landlord is missing. What should I do?

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 enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to find the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent would be helpful to carry out a search and prepare an expert document which can be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Surbiton.

I am the leaseholder of a a ground floor purpose built flat in Surbiton. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum payable for the purchase of the freehold?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Surbiton conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Surbiton residence is Flat D 15 Claremont Gardens in September 2013. TheTribunal determined in accordance with section48 and Schedule13 of the Leasehold Reform,Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 that the premium for the extended lease should be fourteen thousand one hundred and eighty seven pounds (£14,187.00) This case was in relation to 1 flat.