I can't travel far from South East London. What is the rationale as to why all South East London conveyancers aren't automatically on all bank panels?
Pre- 2008 most lenders demonstrated an attitude to risk which differs from the current day. The financial regulator in 2010 carried out a thematic review into property fraud which concluded: know the solicitors on your panel. Consequently, lenders have since soughtmore data from law firms about their operations and the staff employed by them and set certain criteria such as completing a minimum number of transactions. Thousands of law practices have been removed from lender panels even though they had 100% healthy track record, no complaints and zero claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Many firms were never going to satisfy the criteria of amount of transactions the mortgage companies set.
Can I use your services to recommend a Conveyancing solicitor in South East London even where I’m not buying or disposing of a house, for example where I want to acquire an office in South East London with a loan from Barclays ?
Our search tool is predominantly utilised to locate domestic conveyancing solicitors in South East London but we have set out at the end of this page a selection of South East London commercial conveyancing firms. You should make contact with the solicitors directly to see if they can also act for Barclays
I am helping my sister sell her flat in South East London. Will the solicitor arrange an EPC or should I organise this?
After the demise of Home Packs, energy performance certificates was retained a required element of selling a house. An EPC should be commissioned prior to the property being put on the market. It is not something that law firms ordinarily organise. If you are instructing a South East London conveyancing solicitor they may help arrange energy assessments given their contacts with reputable local assessors
My father advised me that in buying a property in South East London there could be various restrictions as to what one can do in terms of external changes to a property. Is this right?
We are aware of anumerous of properties in South East London which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external variations. Part of the conveyancing in South East London should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
I've digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local South East London solicitor - who is on the RBS conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
RBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually RBS will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your South East London postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with RBS, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in South East London.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. South East London is the location of the property. What do you suggest?
Flying freeholds in South East London are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside South East London you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in South East London may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my ground floor flat in South East London. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have recently had a yearly service charge invoice – what should I do?
The sensible thing to do is clear the service charge as you normally would because all ground rent and service invoices will be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies 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.
After months of dialogue we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in South East London. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?
in cases where there is a absentee landlord or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant statutes it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to determine the price payable.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a South East London residence is 20 Avonwick Road in July 2013. The Tribunal was dealing with an application under Section 26 of the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 for a determination of the freehold value of the property. It was concluded that the price to be paid was Fifteen Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy (£15,970) divided as to £8,200 for Flat 20 and £7,770 for Flat 20A This case was in relation to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 73.26 years.
Much to my surprise my conveyancing solicitor in South East London is asking me for ID documents asserting that this forms part of his requirements as a conveyancer on the mortgage company Conveyancing panel. Is this right?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require South East London conveyancing solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that the mortgage company also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the mortgage company's UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements