In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Dulwich? What am I being asked for?

Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering regulations require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the identification documents of the person or body they are dealing with prior to agreeing to accepting their conveyancing business. The Terms of Engagement that you need to sign should confirm this. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the CML Lenders Handbook requirements last updated on 1st December 2014. If you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to act for you.

The Dulwich conveyancing firm that just started acting on my house acquisition in Dulwich have suddenly shut down. I chose them because I had to have a solicitor on the conveyancing panel and my previous Dulwich lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take one hundred and fifty pounds for searches. What are my options?

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors may be able to help.

We are purchasing a house in Dulwich. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? On completion day we will need to send our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We expect to receive a AIP from this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do recommend any Dulwich solicitors on the conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Dulwich solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and through the process.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Dulwich. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

five months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in Dulwich took place. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £175,000 when infact I paid £180,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the asset from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

Dulwich Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

This information is important as a) areas may cause problems in the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate where services are not paid for b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will want to have all the details Be sure to discover if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For instance plenty of leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Dulwich. If you like the flatin Dulwich yet your dog can’t make the move with you then you will be faced difficult determination. The best form of lease arrangement is where the freehold interest is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this arrangement the leaseholders have control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently employed where the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.