It has come to my attention via my estate agent that my Hackney Wick the law firm I have appointed is not on the bank Solicitor panel. What can I do to be sure whether this is correct?

You need to contact your Hackney Wick lawyer directly. You lawyer should inform you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your mortgage company.

Is there a list of Skipton panel conveyancers in Hackney Wick on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few banks make their panel listings visible on the web. If you are seeking to appoint a Hackney Wick conveyancer on the Skipton please use our facility.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Hackney Wick. I have a mortgage offer with Clydesdale. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Clydesdale, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Hackney Wick lawyer having checked that they are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Leeds Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Leeds Building Society will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancing practitioner will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Hackney Wick postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Leeds Building Society, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Hackney Wick.

Will our solicitor be asking questions regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Hackney Wick.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers dealing with homes in Hackney Wick. Plenty of people will buy a property in Hackney Wick, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or dispose of the property. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous checks that may be initiated by the buyer or by their lawyers which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Hackney Wick. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a standard question of the owner to determine if the property has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a purchaser may issue a claim for damages resulting from an inaccurate answer. A purchaser’s lawyers will also commission an environmental search. This should disclose if there is any known flood risk. If so, additional investigations will need to be carried out.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £305k and found one close by in Hackney Wick I like with amenity areas and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 51 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Hackney Wick for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you need a home loan that many years will be an issue. Reduce the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.

I work for a reputable estate agency in Hackney Wick where we have witnessed a number of flat sales put at risk as a result of short leases. I have been given inconsistent advice from local Hackney Wick conveyancing firms. Could you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I inherited a first floor flat in Hackney Wick. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the amount due for the purchase of the freehold?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Hackney Wick conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Hackney Wick flat is 12 Nutfield Road in July 2014. the Tribunal judged that the price to be paid by the applicants for the freehold interest should be £19,572 This case affected 2 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 72.02 years.