My wife and I are purchasing a property in Deptford. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? On the day of competition we have to deposit our life savings into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I happen to be the single beneficiary of my late mum's will and I have everything in my name alone, including the my former home in Deptford. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in December. I want to move. I do know about the CML 6 month 'rule', meaning my property ownership will be regarded the same way as if I'd bought the property in December. Do I have to wait 6 months to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook mandates conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be impacted by that. Most banks would take a pragmatic view as this clause is chiefly there to capture the purchase and immediately sell or the quick reselling of properties.

We are getting the release of further monies on our home loan from Principality as we wish to carry out alterations to our home in Deptford. Do we need to choose a local Deptford solicitor on the Principality conveyancing panel to handle the legals?

Principality don't usually require firms on their conveyancing panel to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Principality panel.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my house are lost. The solicitors who dealt with the conveyancing in Deptford 10 years ago have long since closed. What are my next steps?

As long as the title is registered the details of your proprietorship will be documented by HMLR under a Title Number. It is possible to execute a search at the Land Registry, find your house and obtain up to date copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. Where the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will also normally retain a file copy of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be retrieved for a small fee.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Deptford prior to appointing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor has said that some banks will refuse to grant a mortgage on a flying freehold premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different instructions from Nationwide. If you contact us we can investigate further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Deptford. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I have been recommended by three or four local selling agents in Deptford to find a property lawyer on your site. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to offer your site over another?

We refuse to make any referral fee for sending work in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

I am intending to let out my leasehold flat in Deptford. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

A small minority of properties in Deptford do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

I have had difficulty in trying to reach an agreement for a lease extension in Deptford. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

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

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Deptford property is 41 Endwell Road in March 2013. this matter relateed to the acquisition of the freehold of a mid- terraced Victorian house converted into three separate self-contained dwellings. By an order dated 28/11/2012, Deputy District Judge Cole in the Bromley County Court held that the leaseholders were entitled to acquire the freehold and directed that the premium payable be determined by this Tribunal. The Tribunal assessed the premium to be £14,753 This case related to 3 flats. The unexpired term was 80.01 years.