We are buying a 2 bedroom apartment in Hammersmith And Fulham with a mortgage. We like our Hammersmith And Fulham solicitor, however the bank says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel firms or keep our Hammersmith And Fulham solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This feels very unfair; can we not require that the mortgage company use our Hammersmith And Fulham conveyancing practitioner ?

Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your Hammersmith And Fulham conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

We were just about to exchange contracts for a freehold house in Hammersmith And Fulham. We have hit a problem. The loan offer with Coventry Building Society expires on 3/2/2026 but the sellers are putting forward a completion date of 5/2/2026. Is it possible to prolong the mortgage offer?

The person best placed to address this question is your solicitors who will assess whether he or she is corresponding with the mortgage company, vendor’s lawyers, estate agents or conceivably all parties based on the history of your house move as of today.

Does a directory service exist listing Kent Reliance panel solicitors in Hammersmith And Fulham on the Building Society Association’s Website?

No. There is no such directory service on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of lending institutions make their panel listings viewable on the web. If you are seeking to appoint a Hammersmith And Fulham property lawyer on the Kent Reliance please make the most of our facility.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Kent Reliance. Hammersmith And Fulham conveyancing lawyers have been chosen. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Kent Reliance?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Kent Reliance done the valuation? Have you advised Kent Reliance as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I currently have a mortgage with Clydesdale for my property in Hammersmith And Fulham. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Clydesdale?

You must advise Clydesdale in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Clydesdale’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Clydesdale directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Clydesdale conveyancing panel lawyer.

I was pointed in your direction by a number of selling agents in Hammersmith And Fulham to locate a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to offer your services over and above another?

We refuse to offer any financial incentive for sending work to this site. We thought it would be too underhand a fee as a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

What are the common deficiencies that you witness in leases for Hammersmith And Fulham properties?

Leasehold conveyancing in Hammersmith And Fulham is not unique. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain clauses are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

Insurance obligations A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the premises

You may have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. HSBC Bank, Chelsea Building Society, and Aldermore all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to withdraw.

I acquired a 1st floor flat in Hammersmith And Fulham, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Hammersmith And Fulham with a long lease are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2085

With just 60 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £20,000 and £23,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.