Please help. My Whitechapel solicitor is assuring me that he has toorder Whitechapel conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the HSBCapproved lawyer panel. Do I not have any options here?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a bank your conveyancer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the CML Handbook conditions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Whitechapel conveyancing searches.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Whitechapel?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Whitechapel. 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…’

I am buying a new build apartment in Whitechapel. 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.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Whitechapel

Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. 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. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants.

Taking into account that I am about to spend over three hundred thousand on a house in Whitechapel I would like to talk to a solicitor about mytransaction prior to instructing the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we recommend - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the conveyancer who will be doing your conveyancing in Whitechapel.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique person, not a matter reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for your conveyancing in Whitechapel should be the figure that you are charged.

The financial adviser has recommended their lawyer for the conveyancing in Whitechapel - won’t it be easier to just use them?

It is not always the case and you are free to opt for whichever conveyancer of your choosing for your Whitechapel conveyancing. The conveyancing practitioner suggested by a 3rd party adviser may not always be the best conveyancing practitioner, they may recommend their own conveyancing firm who are based far away. In this instance you may not have contact with your conveyancer and due to the lack of continuity in the transaction, it may be difficult to obtain updates.