I plan on buying an apartment in Mitcham. My Solicitor is not on the lender solicitor list. Is it possible for me to use my Mitcham conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the lender approved list?

Your options include

• Carry on with your preferred Mitcham lawyer but your mortgage company will undoubtedly use a lawyer from their approved list. This will result in additional cost together with potential frustration.
• Choose a new conveyancer to act in the purchase, making sure they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your conveyancing practitioner to seek to join the mortgage company panel

About to place an offer on a leasehold apartment in Mitcham. The selling agents tell me that it is the norm for flats in Mitcham to have less than 75 years left on the lease. I am obtaining a loan with Chelsea Building Society. Will the property be mortgageable given that the lease has 69 years unexpired.

Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 19/12/2024 the requirements read as follows :

My wife and I own a renovated Georgian house in Mitcham. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Santander. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. Is it worth asking Santander to clarify?

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Mitcham and other areas of 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 lenders. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who completed the work.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build apartment in Mitcham. 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 legal work.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Mitcham

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my aunt I am disposing of a house in Cardiff but live in Mitcham. My lawyer (who is 200 miles awayneeds me to sign a statutory declaration prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Mitcham who can witness this legal document for me?

strictly speaking you should not be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are Mitcham based