A friend informed me that in buying a property in Epping there may be a number of restrictions prohibiting external alterations to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Epping which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external variations. Part of the conveyancing in Epping should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I can not fathom if my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Epping bank branch on a couple of occasions and was reassured it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Epping conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they refuse to lend in accordance with their specific requirements. I have no idea who is right.

As long as the solicitor is on the bank approved list, she or he must comply with the CML Handbook specifications for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Epping. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their conveyancer. I paid an upfront payment of £150. Shortly after, the conveyancer contacted me to say that they were not on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Leeds Building Society panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

What can a local search tell me regarding the property we're buying in Epping?

Epping conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company for example Searches UK The local search is essential in every Epping conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any unpleasant once you have moved into your new home. The search should reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic areas.

Me and my brother own a semi-detached Edwardian house in Epping. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and TSB. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

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 Epping and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing practitioner who carried out the work.

About to purchase a new build flat in Epping. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Epping

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

I see that you have a post code search directory listing solicitors on the mortgage company conveyancing panel. Do Epping conveyancing companies pay you a commission if I appoint them for my own conveyancing?

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