AssumingI was to purchase a freehold homein Hornchurch for cash and dispense with a survey and no local authority searches how much could I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Hornchurch?

The sole saving you would make on is the Hornchurch conveyancing searches. A lawyer is required to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, liaising with your vendors lawyer, SDLT submission, register the ownership etc. A slight saving might be made by not needing to register a mortgage however it won't be significant.

I had intended to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Hornchurch for our house purchase. Our financial adviser has since notified us that our mortgage company Bank of Scotland won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unduly restrictive?

Mortgage Companies normally restrict either the category or the volume of conveyancing solicitors on their approved list of lawyers. Typical examples of such restriction(s) being that a firm must not be a sole practitioner. As well as restricting the type of firm, a few lenders have limited the amount of firms they permit to act for them. Be aware that Bank of Scotland have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of Bank of Scotland Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the reduction of solicitor panels a few years ago even though there remains mixed views regarding the level of solicitor engagement in some of that fraud. Figures from the Land Registry reveal that hundreds of law firms, including some in or near Hornchurch only conduct one or two conveyances a year.

I have been told that property searches are the main cause of obstruction in Hornchurch house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released determinations of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the common causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are unlikely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Hornchurch.

My husband and I are FTB’s - agreed a price, but the estate agent has warned us that the seller will only move forward if we instruct their recommended conveyancers as they need a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Hornchurch

It is unlikely the sellers are behind this. If they want ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a serious purchaser is not the way to achieve this. Speak to the vendors direct and make sure they comprehend that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you intend to appoint your preferred Hornchurch conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will earn their negotiator at the agency a commission or hit his conveyancing targets pre-set by HQ.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement apartment in Hornchurch. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have recently received a half-yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is pay the service charge as usual as all ground rent and service charges will be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such matters? Can you recommend a Hornchurch conveyancing firm to represent me?

Absolutely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Hornchurch conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Hornchurch property is 37 Lodge Court High Street in November 2013. the decision of the LVT was that the premium to be paid for the new lease was £25,559 This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 57.5 years.