A loan offer from NatWest for the refinancing of my 4 bedroom flat is due by the end of next week. Are you able to recommend a cheap conveyancing practitioner in West Dulwich?

This site is not designed to assist those in pursuit of the lowest fares for conveyancing solicitors in West Dulwich. Our aim is to provide affordable conveyancing but we do not advertise as being the cheapest. Resist the temptation to appoint brokers seducing you with low cost conveyancing in West Dulwich. Optimistically, in going for low cost conveyancing, you will get your money’s worth and at worst it will result in you with a surprising uplift in additional fees and still not receive the service expected.

We are nearing an exchange on a property in West Dulwich and my parents have transferred the ten percent deposit to my solicitor. I am now informed that as the deposit has not come from me my property lawyer needs to make a notification to my mortgage company. Apparently, in also acting for the lender he must advise them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I advised the bank concerning my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really appropriate for this now to delay the deal?

Your conveyancing practitioner is duty bound to clarify with lender to make sure that they understand that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own resources. Your solicitor can only disclose this to your mortgage company if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

Can you clarify what the consequences are if my lawyer’s firm is expelled from the Aldermore Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in West Dulwich?

The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

three months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in West Dulwich completed. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £175,000 when infact I paid £215,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the residence from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

After years of correspondence we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in West Dulwich. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

in cases where there is a missing landlord or if there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to decide the amount due.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a West Dulwich flat is 8 Deerbrook Road in May 2010. the Tribunal held that the enfranchisement price, in accordance with section 32 and Schedule 6 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 was £22,820, payable by the Applicants. By an order of the Lambeth County Court dated 17 June 2009 the case had been transferred to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal for its determination of the premium payable This case was in relation to 3 flats.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in West Dulwich what are the most common lease problems?

Leasehold conveyancing in West Dulwich is not unique. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are wrong. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts. A duty to insure the building

You may have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Nationwide Building Society, Virgin Money, and Clydesdale all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to withdraw.