We were just about to exchange contracts for a ground floor flat in Nine Elms. We encountered a snag. Our loan offer with runs out on but the vendors are insisting on a completion date of . Can one prolong the mortgage expiry date?

The best person to address this concern is your solicitors who will hopefully assess if he or she is corresponding with the mortgage company, seller’s conveyancers, property agents or conceivably all three based on the history of your house move to date.

It is a dozen years since I purchased my property in Nine Elms. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been retained on the sale but I can't track down the deeds. Is this a major issue?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly there is a chance that the deeds will be kept by your mortgage company or they could be archived with the solicitor who oversaw your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Nine Elms involves registered property but in the rare situation where your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

I have a decision in principle. The lender mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to use their panel solicitor as I would much rather use a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Nine Elms?

You should check but the chances are that give you one of their panel solicitors where you take up the "fee-free" offer. Speak to the bank to ask if they offer you a cash alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case that money can go towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor near Nine Elms.

My wife and I buying a detached bungalow in Nine Elms. The intention is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will legal investigations on the property involve enquiries to determine if these alterations are permitted?

Your property lawyer should review the registered title as conveyancing in Nine Elms can sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which prevent categories of alterations or require the consent of a 3rd party. Many additions call for local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

When it comes to lenders such as , do Nine Elms incur a yearly amount to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any lender fees to register on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I have paid off my mortgage with . I assume I don't need a Nine Elms on the panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the mortgage from the register. , and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. has instructed the Land Registry to do so

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Nine Elms. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Nine Elms

The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.