My partner and I are looking to acquire a home in Clapton and have instructed a Clapton conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Coventry Building Society have this morning contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Clapton lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?

When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is normal for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Clapton solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

Last December we completed a house move in Clapton. We have noticed several problems with the house which we suspect were omitted in the conveyancing searches. Is there anything we can do? What searches should? have been carried out for conveyancing in Clapton?

It is not clear from the question as to the nature of the problems and if they are specific to conveyancing in Clapton. Conveyancing searches and investigations initiated as part of the legal transfer of property are designed to help avoid problems. As part of the legal transfer of property, the vendor completes a document referred to as a Seller’s Property Information Form. answers ends up being misleading, you may have a misrepresentation claim against the owner for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Clapton.

There is lots of information on this site regarding conveyancing in Clapton but can you isolate your top tip for finding the right conveyancer in Clapton

It would be unwise to be tempted by the lowest Clapton conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

I am assisting my mother sell her house in Clapton. Does the conveyancing solicitor arrange an EPC or it is for the owner to see to?

After the demise of Home Packs, energy assessments was kept a mandatory component of moving house. An energy assessment needs to be to hand before the property is marketed. This is not a task that lawyers ordinarily organise. Where you are using a Clapton conveyancing lawyer they may be able to arrange energy performance certificates due to their contacts with reputable Clapton assessors

Can I be sure that the Clapton conveyancing solicitor on the Principality panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Clapton getting recommendations is a good starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advocate that you speak with the lawyer handling your conveyancing.

My husband and I are four weeks into a leasehold purchase having been directed to solicitors by the local agent to perform conveyancing in Clapton. I am am very disappointed with the quality of service. Could you help me find new solicitors?

A lawyer would have to be very bad in order to consider diss instructing them. Has the loan offer been sent? In the event that it has you will need to make them aware of the new conveyancer and ensure the offer are re-issued. Your conveyancer should be on the lenders approved list to avoid escalating fees and complications. That should be your first question of the new lawyers. Our search tool should help you find a bank approved lawyer for your home move in Clapton

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Clapton. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Clapton - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without any joy. Can one apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Clapton conveyancing firm to assist?

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

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Clapton property is 104 Nightingale Road in May 2009. The Tribunal's Decision is that the premium torbe paid for the enfranchisement in this case is £112,174 This case was in relation to 10 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 71.25 years.