I was recommended to a lawyer who has given a fee calculation of £1150 for leasehold conveyancing in Tooting. I am hoping to downsize from a Georgian house for £125,000. Is this overpriced? Is it above the norm for conveyancing in Tooting?

The estimate does seem marginally steep. If you shop around you might trim some of the cost by perhaps £100 plus VAT. That being said, you mightlive to rue opting for an an untested lawyer. Don't forget to check the firm can also act for your mortgage company. You can employ our search tool to select a Tooting conveyancing practice on the banks approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Tooting.

What is the first thing I need to know about purchase conveyancing in Tooting?

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Tooting and elsewhere in South West London is often a confrontational experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists lots of opportunity for friction between you and other parties involved in the legal transfer of property. For instance, the seller, selling agent and on occasion the mortgage company. Selecting a lawyer for your conveyancing in Tooting is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the transaction whose role it is to protect your best interests and to keep you safe.

On occasion a potential adversary may attempt to sway you that you should follow their advice. For example, the estate agent may claim to be helping by claiming that your conveyancer is dragging his heels. Or your mortgage broker may try to convince you to do take action that is against your solicitors advice. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

My uncle passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Tooting. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £5k. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to RBS, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

Given you plan to re-mortgage then RBS will insist on your using a conveyancer on the RBS conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your RBS conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the RBS mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Tooting. Conveyancing is necessary evil 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.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Tooting

Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Please supply a car parking plan. 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. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision.

I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Tooting. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear the invoice as you normally would given that all rents and service charges should be allotted on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

Having spent years of dialogue we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Tooting. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

in cases where there is a missing landlord or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to judgment on the premium.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Tooting premises is 14 Nutwell Street in January 2014. The premium payable for the acquisition of a new lease of the subject premises was in the sum of £30,523 This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 62.94 years.