I plan on purchasing an apartment in Becontree. My property lawyer has never been on on the mortgage company conveyancing panel. Can I still use my Becontree conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the lender panel?

You must instruct a lawyer to complete the legal work required if you take out a mortgage to buy your home. They will conduct all the essential legal checks on the property, ensuring that you will be properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is in order. One may select a Becontree lawyer of your choosing. However, if the conveyancer appointed is not a member of the lender conveyancing panel further fees will arise as separate legal representation will be required by them. Lender panel applications may be submitted, so provided your lawyer has not previously sought membership they should take the chance to apply.

What happens if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Santander Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Becontree?

First, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

I have paid off my mortgage with Clydesdale. I assume I don't need a Becontree property lawyer on the Clydesdale panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your Clydesdale mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Clydesdale mortgage from the register. Clydesdale, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Clydesdale has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Clydesdale has instructed the Land Registry to do so

I had an offer accepted on a house in Becontree on 18/7/2025, valuation was booked five days after, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer retained, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to RBS and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the RBS conveyancing panel. Are RBS entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for RBS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the RBS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

My sealed bid on a detached house in Becontree has been accepted, but there is a chain. The sellers have offered on somewhere, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other apartments booked. I have instructed a bricks and mortar conveyancing solicitor in Becontree. What should be my next step? At what stage do I apply for the mortgage with RBS?

It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (home loan application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Becontree conveyancing search costs, etc). The first course of action is to check that your solicitor is on the RBS approved list. Concerning the next steps this very much depends on the specifics of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market some buyers will apply for a home loan with RBS and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their lawyer to proceed with the conveyancing in Becontree.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and found one close by in Becontree I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in Becontree for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

If you require a mortgage that many years may be problematic. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

What is different about your site and other internet conveyancing brokers for conveyancing in Becontree?

At this site get an accurate quote via a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that has a full understanding of the issues of your conveyancing in Becontree. As opposed to estate agents and brokerage sites we do not charge firms a commission if you choose them for your conveyancing in Becontree