I plan on acquiring a maisonette in Belsize Park. My property lawyer is not listed on the lender solicitor list. Is it possible for me to continue with my Belsize Park conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the mortgage company panel?

Various options include

• Complete the deal with your existing Belsize Park lawyer but your lender will undoubtedly use a lawyer on their approved list. This will result in additional fees together with likely interruption.
• Get a new conveyancing practitioner to conduct the conveyancing, making sure they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your property lawyer to seek to join the lender panel

How does conveyancing in Belsize Park differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Belsize Park come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is completed. This is because builders in Belsize Park usually buy the site, 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 Belsize Park or who has acted in the same development.

I decided to have a survey done on a property in Belsize Park prior to instructing lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. My surveyor has said that some lenders tend refuse to issue a mortgage on this type of property.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions for example to Nationwide. If you call us we can check via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Belsize Park. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Belsize Park to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing practitioner in Belsize Park for my remortgage. Can I check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

One can see documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded call for training reasons.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £125,000 garden flat in Belsize Park on Tuesday in a week. The management company has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Belsize Park?

Belsize Park conveyancing on leasehold flats normally requires the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer these enquiries most will be willing to assist. They are entitled to levy a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has little choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.

I am the leaseholder of a basement flat in Belsize Park. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for the purchase of the freehold?

Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a Belsize Park conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Belsize Park property is First Floor Flat 20 Fitzjohns Avenue in July 2014. the Tribunal decided that the premiums to be paid for new leases in respect of the Raised Ground Floor Flat and the First Floor Flat were to be calculated as: Raised Ground Floor: £765,175.14 First Floor: £601,617.77 This case was in relation to 2 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 16.83 and 16.43.