I am about to exchange on the purchase of a house in Blackfriars but as a result of damage from the recent storms I have was able negotiate compensation from the current proprietors in the sum of £2k taking the form of a adjustment in the price. This was going to be addressed as part of a side agreement however Kent Reliance are not allowing this. Should they have been involved?

Your conveyancing practitioner that is on a Kent Reliance approved list is duty bound to advise Kent Reliance of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your conveyancing practitioner to notify the reduction to Kent Reliance then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Kent Reliance and you would have to appoint a new lawyer for your conveyancing in Blackfriars.

A colleague informed me that in buying a property in Blackfriars there could be various restrictions preventing external changes to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Blackfriars which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external variations. Part of the conveyancing in Blackfriars should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Nottingham. I assume I don't need a Blackfriars property lawyer on the Nottingham panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your Nottingham 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 Nottingham mortgage from the register. Nottingham, 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 Nottingham has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Nottingham has instructed the Land Registry to do so

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

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

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Blackfriars is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Blackfriars are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Blackfriars you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Blackfriars may determine 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 property.

I am selling my house. My former conveyancers have shut. It would be helpful to have a recommendation of a conveyancing firm. Im based in Blackfriars if that affects matters.

You should use our search tool to help you choose a solicitor for your conveyancing in Blackfriars. We have connected thousands of home buyers and sellers with lender approved solicitors to ensure that the legalities of their house move runs smoothly.

My lawyers in Blackfriars have advised me that they can not locate my conveyancing file. At the time of my purchase I took out a mortgage with the mortgage company. Is it case that being on the bank conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a number of years?

It very much depends from lender to lender but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the bank Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting the mortgage company directly.