I have given 2 months notice to my current landlord and must be out of my let out flat in Wallington by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase is underway. Can I complete in three weeks as don't want to have to find temporary accommodation?

Generally one should not serve notice for your tenancy unless exchange of contracts has taken place. Assuming that you have not previously done so, speak to your conveyancer and ask them to they cajole the other solicitors, try to an acceptable time-line that everyone will work towards

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as a first time buyer of a garden flat in Wallington. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on the completion date from my conveyancer? If this is the case, I will appoint a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Wallington?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will arrange to send the purchase money to the owner’s solicitors, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you should be called to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens between 1 and 3pm.

I am the sole beneficiary of my late father’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Wallington. The Wallington property was put into my name in December. I plan to dispose of the house. I understand that there is a Mortgage Lenders 6 month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship could be treated the same way as though I had purchased the property in December. Do I have to wait 6 months to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook requires conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you might be impacted by that. Most lenders would take a pragmatic view as this provision primarily exists to pick up on subsales or the flipping of properties.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Wallington. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender UBS be concerned?

Given that your lender is UBS your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions contained in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for UBS. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to UBS where a lease does not meet these specifications. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not isolated to Wallington.

Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that could affect a commercial property in Wallington?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Wallington will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers invest in sourcing accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Wallington. The search result sets out definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Wallington.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Wallington it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately could cause delays to Wallington commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Wallington.

How does conveyancing in Wallington differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Wallington contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is constructed. This is because builders in Wallington tend to acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Wallington or who has acted in the same development.

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Wallington. Before I get started I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Wallington - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Notwithstanding our best efforts, we have been unsuccessful in trying to purchase the freehold in Wallington. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

if there is a absentee landlord or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to judgment on the sum to be paid.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Wallington residence is 21 & 23 Carshalton Grove in May 2009. the Tribunal adopted the figures presented as the premiums payable by the Applicant i.e. a total of £20,750. This case related to 2 flats. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 72 years.