Me and my partner are buying our first property. Our conveyancer has messagedto enquire if we want to purchase supplemental conveyancing searches. Unfortunately we in the dark as to what's needed for conveyancing in Hendon

The number and type of Hendon conveyancing searches depends entirely on the premises, the location, the probability of any of these risks, your knowledge of the area and risks, your general appetite to risk. What matters is that you adequately understand what information the searches could supply. Then you can decide if you personally think you need that information. Where you are uncertain, ask your conveyancing practitioner to provide guidance.

I am intent on selling our property in Hendon and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was constructed on contaminated land. A high street Hendon conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers used a national conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Hendon. Having lived in Hendon for three years we know of no issue. Do we contact our local Authority to get clarification that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. What do they say? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)

I used Arc property Solicitors a few years past for my conveyancing in Hendon. Now, I need the documents however the law firm has closed. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Hendon of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I am purchasing a new build house in Hendon with the aid of help to buy. The sellers would not move on the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not disclose to my solicitor about this side-deal as it may impact my mortgage with the lender. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Hendon with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Hendon can be bypassed where you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ solicitors.
You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your lawyers. A buyer’s lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is below 80 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale. If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Arranging a new share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Hendon conveyancing deal. If a reissued share certificate is needed, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity. If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Hendon state that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such works. Should you fail to have the consents in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your solicitor in advance.

My wife and I have hit a brick wall in negotiating a lease extension in Hendon. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?

in cases where there is a absentee landlord or if there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant statutes you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to arrive at the price payable.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Hendon flat is First Floor Flat 61 Wilberforce Road in March 2014. The premium payable was £10,130 and the case was remitted back to the Willesden County Court to effect the Vesting Order (Claim No 3W103100). This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 71 years.