Some advice if I may. My Victoria Docks solicitor is informing me me that she is duty bound toconduct Victoria Docks conveyancing searches resulting from the fact thatthe firm are on the Santanderapproved lawyer panel. These Victoria Docks checks cost a lot of money can this be avoided?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a bank your property lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Victoria Docks conveyancing searches.

We note that you have a post code search directory listing solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for our conveyancing in Victoria Docks?

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

I can see plenty of information on this site regarding conveyancing in Victoria Docks but what is your top tip for selecting the right conveyancer in Victoria Docks

Do not opt for the cheapest Victoria Docks conveyancing quote. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

We previously appointed solicitors located in Victoria Docks on the Leeds Building Society solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a supplemental charge for dealing with the Leeds Building Society mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by Leeds Building Society?

Unfortunately, so long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your lawyer can charge a fee for this. The charge is not set by Leeds Building Society but by your Victoria Docks conveyancer. Plenty of firms on the Leeds Building Society panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but plenty of firms incorporate it on their overall fee.

I am selling my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in October 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Coventry BS are being pedantic. The Victoria Docks solicitor who is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Coventry BS are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Coventry BS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Coventry BS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Coventry BS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

As co-executor for the estate of my uncle I am selling a property in Cardiff but I am based in Victoria Docks. My conveyancer (approximately 200 miles awayhas requested that I execute a stat dec prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing practitioner in Victoria Docks to witness this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or qualified solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Victoria Docks based

Last September I purchased a leasehold flat in Victoria Docks. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I am the leaseholder of a a ground floor purpose built flat in Victoria Docks. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the sum payable for a lease extension?

in cases where there is a absentee landlord or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to arrive at the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Victoria Docks property is 46 Credon Road in January 2014. On 11 September 2013 Deputy District Judge Price sitting at the Bow County Court made a vesting order that the freeholder surrender his lease and be granted a new lease of the Premises on such terms as may be determined by the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).The appropriate sum as concluded by the Tribunal was £7225 This case affected 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 69.77 years.