I was informed yesterday by my lender that my Becontree Heath the law firm I have appointed is not on the bank Conveyancing panel. How can I be certain if this is indeed the case?

The sensible course of action for you to take is to call your Becontree Heath lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to inform you what has happened. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your lender.

I have a decision in principle. The lender mentioned the loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to instruct their panel conveyancer as I would prefer to appoint a Becontree Heath based conveyancing firm?

You should check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel solicitors where you want the "fee-free" deal. Call the mortgage company to determine if they offer you a cash alternative. In the past a few mortgage companies offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case that money can go towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in Becontree Heath.

How does conveyancing in Becontree Heath differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Becontree Heath approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because developers in Becontree Heath tend to purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Becontree Heath or who has acted in the same development.

I have been advised by a number of property agents in Becontree Heath to locate a property lawyer on your site. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to market your site over and above a competitor’s?

We don’t offer any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Becontree Heath from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Becontree Heath can be bypassed where you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers’ solicitors.
If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Obtaining a replacement share certificate can be a time consuming process and frustrates many a Becontree Heath conveyancing transaction. Where a reissued share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this as soon as possible. The majority of landlords or managing agents in Becontree Heath charge for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Becontree Heath. If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s permission? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Becontree Heath state that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord approving such works. Should you dont have the approvals to hand you should not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer in advance. If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is a current dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing.

I am the proprietor of a second floor flat in Becontree Heath. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum payable for a lease extension?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Becontree Heath conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Becontree Heath flat is 49 Aldborough Road South in July 2012. The Tribunal decided that the premium payable for the grant of the new lease was £13,925 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 61.36 years.