We see that you have a post code search directory identifying firms on the Skipton conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a commission if I retain them for our conveyancing in Aldermanbury?

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

My fiance and I are purchasing a newbuild flat in Aldermanbury with a loan from Coventry Building Society.We like our Aldermanbury conveyancing lawyer but Coventry Building Society informed us his firm is not on their approved list of member firms. We have to appoint a Coventry Building Society panel solicitor or retain our local solicitor and pay for a Coventry Building Society panel lawyer to act for them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Coventry Building Society use our lawyer?

No, not really. The home loan issued to you contains terms and conditions, a common one being that solicitors needs to be on the Coventry Building Society approved list. in the past, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Coventry Building Society

Is it correct that all Aldermanbury CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Aldermore conveyancing panel?

It is true that some lenders now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

We were going to get a AIP from Co-operative this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Co-operative recommend any Aldermanbury solicitors on the Co-operative conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Aldermanbury solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Co-operative through the process.

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Aldermanbury. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Aldermanbury?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Aldermanbury. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I work for a busy estate agent office in Aldermanbury where we have witnessed a few flat sales jeopardised as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given inconsistent advice from local Aldermanbury conveyancing solicitors. Can you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I have given up negotiating a lease extension in Aldermanbury. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

Where there is a absentee freeholder or where 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 determine the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Aldermanbury premises is 137 & 139 Haberdasher Street in December 2013. The Tribunal determines in accordance with section 48 and Schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 that the premium for the extended lease for each Property should be £12,350.00. This case related to 2 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 72.39 years.