Our conveyancer has discovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Woodside Park. The seller’s lawyers have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our property lawyer says that he must check that the mortgage company is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the mortgage company ?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the bank are the client. Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the mortgage company can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your solicitor will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

My husband and I are spending time viewing houses in Woodside Park and I am about to put in an offer. Is it advisable to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a mortgage with Co-operative.

It would be sensible to start your search sooner rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the selling agent. As you are getting a mortgage with Co-operative, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Co-operative conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Woodside Park. I have a mortgage agreed with Aldermore. 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 Aldermore, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Aldermore conveyancing panel.

I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Kent Reliance. Is it usual for Kent Reliance to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Woodside Park is approved on their conveyancing panel? Kent Reliance have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.

A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Kent Reliance to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

Will my conveyancer be raising enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Woodside Park.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for conveyancers dealing with homes in Woodside Park. There are those who purchase a property in Woodside Park, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous checks that can be initiated by the buyer or by their conveyancers which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Woodside Park. The standard completed inquiry forms given to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard inquiry of the vendor to determine whether the property has ever been flooded. In the event that flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the owner, then a buyer could bring a compensation claim as a result of such an inaccurate reply. A purchaser’s conveyancers may also order an environmental report. This should higlight whether there is any known flood risk. If so, additional inquiries will need to be carried out.

We're first time buyers - had an offer accepted, but the agent told us that the seller will only move forward if we appoint their chosen conveyancers as they want an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a local solicitor who is familiar with conveyancing in Woodside Park

We suspect that the owner is unaware of this demand. If they require ‘a quick sale', alienating a serious purchaser is not the way to achieve this. Contact the owners directly and make the point that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to progress, with finances in place © you do not need to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you will continue to appoint your preferred Woodside Park conveyancing lawyers - as opposed tothose that will earn their estate agent a introducer fee or hit his conveyancing thresholds pre-set by corporate headquarters.

I am looking at a couple of maisonettes in Woodside Park both have approximately 50 years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Woodside Park. The lease is a right to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease gets shorter the value of the lease deteriorates and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area.

I am the proprietor of a garden flat in Woodside Park. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the premium due for a lease extension?

if there is a absentee landlord or if there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the LVT to arrive at the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Woodside Park residence is Flat 2 2 Netherfield Road in April 2010. The Tribunale held that premium payable for a 90 year extension to the existing Lease should be £7,705. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 76 years.