We are intending to buy a 2 bedroom flat in Norwood with a mortgage. We have a Norwood lawyer, but the bank says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel conveyancing practices or retain our Norwood solicitor as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to represent them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose 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 Norwood conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Our bank has suggested a law firm on their panel based in Norwood but I would rather choose a conveyancing lawyer in Norwood round the corner to me. Are you able to assist?

The minority of Norwood conveyancing solicitors are listed all banks conveyancing panel. Please make the most of the above search tool to locate a Norwood conveyancing solicitor on the on the lender panel.

I am assisting my aunt sell her property in Norwood. Will the conveyancer order the EPC or it is for the seller to see to?

Following the demise of Home Information Packs, EPC’s remained a mandatory part of selling a house. An EPC should be commissioned before the property is advertised. This is not a task that law firms normally organise. If you are using a Norwood conveyancing solicitor they may be able to arrange EPC’s due to their relationships with long established local assessors

I'm the sole beneficiary of my late grandmother’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Norwood. The Norwood property was put into my name in December. I now wish to sell up. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship may be regarded the same way as though I had purchased the property in December. Is the property unsalable for six months?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook mandates solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you may be affected by that. How sensible a view banks take of it, depend on the lender as this clause primarily exists to identify the purchase and immediately sell or the wholesaling and assigning of property.

Barclays have agreed my home loan in principle, my offer on a apartment in Norwood has been accepted, now what?

Your estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (ensure that the conveyancing practitioners are on the bank’s panel). Telephone Barclays or your broker and finish off any appropriate paperwork. Barclays will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or vendor to arrange an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes about a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. Barclays will send the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Norwood.

My friend suggested that if I am buying in Norwood I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is usually quoted for as part of the standard Norwood conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Norwood around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Norwood Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Norwood.

I have just appointed agents to market my basement flat in Norwood. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have just had a yearly service charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is clear the invoice as you normally would given that all ground rent and service payments will be allotted on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I inherited a studio flat in Norwood, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Norwood with over 90 years remaining are worth £202,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2081

With just 56 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.