Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from West Ham. Can you please clarify why all West Ham property lawyers aren't automatically on all mortgage company panels?

Banks highlight the fact that solicitor-led fraud is considered to be responsible for millions of pounds of fraud every year.The removal of law firms from lender panels started with the rise in mortgage fraud, which prompted a thematic review by the Financial Services Authority in 2011. Its outcome included recommendations for lenders to review their conveyancing panels, which triggered a major policy change in the sector. This led to lenders pruning less reputable firms from their official list of approved lawyers .

We see that you have a search directory identifying solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I appoint them for our own conveyancing in West Ham?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the HSBC conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in West Ham.

I am assisting my niece sell her property in West Ham. Will the conveyancing solicitor order the energy performance certificate or it is for me to coordinate?

After the demise of Home Packs, EPC’s was retained a mandatory component of selling a house. An energy assessment must be commissioned in advance of the property being placed on the market. It is not a task that lawyers normally arrange. Where you are instructing a West Ham conveyancing solicitor they might help arrange energy performance certificates given their relationships with long established local accredited person

Is it the case that all West Ham solicitor firms on the HSBC conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the HSBC approved list of solicitors they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Some lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such practice would be overseen by the CLC.

We previously instructed solicitors locally in West Ham on the HSBC solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me a supplemental amount for handling the HSBC mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by HSBC?

As unfair as it may appear, as long as it’s in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your conveyancing practitioner may levy a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by HSBC but by your West Ham lawyer. Plenty of firms on the HSBC panel will levy ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

I own a 4 bedroom Edwardian property in West Ham. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Santander. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in West Ham and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who carried out the work.

I have recently realised that I have Fifty years left on my flat in West Ham. I now want to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What are my options?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to track down the lessor. For most situations an enquiry agent would be useful to conduct investigations and prepare a report to be used as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering West Ham.

After months of correspondence we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in West Ham. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

if there is a missing freeholder or if there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to arrive at the premium.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a West Ham premises is 46 Credon Road in January 2014. On 11 September 2013 Deputy District Judge Price sitting at the Bow County Court made a vesting order that the freeholder surrender his lease and be granted a new lease of the Premises on such terms as may be determined by the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).The appropriate sum as concluded by the Tribunal was £7225 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 69.77 years.