We were just about to sign contracts for a leasehold flat in Ponders End. We have hit a snag. The mortgage offer with Platform Home Loans Ltd expires on 17/2/2025 but the vendors are suggesting a completion date of 19/2/2025. Can one prolong the mortgage offer?

The person best placed to address this concern is your solicitors who will assess if he or she is should be discussing with the bank, owner’s solicitors, selling agents or conceivably all parties given the history of your conveyancing to date.

This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as FTB of a garden flat in Ponders End. Do I collect the keys to the premises on completion from my solicitor? If so, I will use a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Ponders End?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the purchase money to the vendor’s conveyancers, and once they have received this, you will be able to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this occurs between 1 and 3pm.

About to purchase apartment in Ponders End. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the RBS conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Ponders End conveyancer is on the RBS conveyancing panel.

I've digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Ponders End solicitor - who is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Virgin Money will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Virgin Money will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Ponders End postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Virgin Money, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Ponders End.

I have been told that property searches are the main reason for stalling in Ponders End conveyancing transactions. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the common causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of slowing down conveyancing in Ponders End.

I decided to have a survey carried out on a house in Ponders End ahead of retaining solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the property. Our surveyor advised that some lenders will refuse to issue a mortgage on a flying freehold house.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different instructions for example to Nationwide. If you e-mail us we can investigate further with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Ponders End. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Ponders End to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Ponders End from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Ponders End can be avoided if you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers’ solicitors.
If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Arranging a re-issued share certificate can be a time consuming process and slows down many a Ponders End conveyancing transaction. If a reissued share is needed, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible. If there is a history of conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where a dispute is ongoing. You may need to swallow your pride and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as historic as opposed to unresolved. You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but you should double-check via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without any joy. Can a leaseholder apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Ponders End conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Ponders End conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Vesting Order and Purchase of freehold decision for a Ponders End flat is Ground Floor Flat 4A Baronet Road in February 2010. Following a vesting order by Edmonton County Court on 23rd December 2008 (case number 8ED064) the Tribunal decided that the price that the Applicant for the freehold interest should pay is £8,689.00 This case was in relation to 2 flats. The unexpired term was 80.01 years.