Completed the sale of my flat in Eltham last June but my buyer keeps calling every few hours to moan that her lawyer is waiting to hear from mysolicitor. What are the post completion sale formalities now that I have sold?

Following your disposal your conveyancer should send the transfer deeds and all of the paperwork to the buyer’s conveyancer. Depending on the transaction, your conveyancer should also evidence that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been repaid to the buyers lawyers. There are no post completion requirements peculiar conveyancing in Eltham.

I am helping my step-mother sell her house in Eltham. Does the conveyancing solicitor order the energy assessment or do I organise this?

After the abolition of Home Packs, EPC’s remained a compulsory part of selling a property. An EPC must be to hand before the property is put on the market. This is not something that law firms normally arrange. If you are using a Eltham conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange energy assessments given their relationships with reputable local assessors

I just acquired a house at auction in Eltham. Conveyancing is required. What is next?

Having legally committed yourself to purchase you now have to instruct a conveyancing practitioner quickly as you are faced with a pending a fixed date to complete the conveyancing. Every auction property will ordinarily have an associated legal set of papers. This should include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. If you have purchased leasehold premises the conveyancing pack may provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork relating to a leasehold property. You should pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. You also need to ensure that you have funds organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

How can we know in advance if a Eltham conveyancing solicitor on the Virgin Money panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Eltham obtaining recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always advise that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing.

I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one round the corner in Eltham I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Eltham for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

I am a fortnight into a leasehold purchase having been referred to solicitors by the local agent to execute conveyancing in Eltham. I am am extremely disappointed with the level of service. Could you you assist me in finding new solicitors?

A lawyer would need to be really poor in order to consider changing them. Has your mortgage been issued? If so you must advise them of the new contact details and ensure the offer are issued to the new lawyers. Your new conveyancer should be on the banks approved list to avoid supplemental expenses and delays. That should be your first question of the new solicitors. The search tool can help you find a lender approved lawyer for your home move in Eltham

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such issues? Can you recommend a Eltham conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?

if there is a missing freeholder or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the LVT to calculate the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Eltham flat is 103a Footscray Road in January 2014. The tribunal determines that the premium payable for the extended lease should be £34,500 according to the expert witness valuation calculation This case was in relation to 1 flat.

What makes a Eltham lease defective?

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

Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the premises

A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Accord Mortgages Ltd, Coventry Building Society, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.