I am assisting my step-mother sell her property in Walthamstow Village. Will the conveyancing solicitor arrange an EPC or it is for the seller to coordinate?

After the abolition of Home Packs, EPC’s was left as a mandatory element of moving house. An EPC should be commissioned prior to the property being advertised. This is not something that law firms ordinarily arrange. Where you are using a Walthamstow Village conveyancing solicitor they might help arrange energy assessments given their relationships with long established Walthamstow Village assessors

is it true that all Walthamstow Village solicitor firms on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel they would need to be governed by the SRA. The majority of mortgage companies do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the CLC.

We were going to get a DIP from Principality this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Principality recommend any Walthamstow Village solicitors on the Principality conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Walthamstow Village solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Principality conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Principality through the process.

I have a renovated Edwardian property in Walthamstow Village. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Aldermore. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the matching property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be 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 Walthamstow Village 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 buyers. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the purchase.

Given that I am about to part with £400,000 on a property in Walthamstow Village I wish to talk to a lawyer about myhouse move prior to giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?

We could not agree more - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the conveyancer due to be conducting your property ownership legalities in Walthamstow Village.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a matter number. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are calculated and presented to you for residential conveyancing in Walthamstow Village should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.

In scouring the internet for the term conveyancing in Walthamstow Village it brings up many property lawyerslocally. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right solicitor for me?

The ideal method of choosing a suitable conveyancer is via trusted testimonial, so ask colleagues and those you trust who have purchased a property in Walthamstow Village or a respected estate agent or mortgage broker. Costs for conveyancing in Walthamstow Village vary, so it's sensible to obtain at least four quotes from different property lawyers. Make sure that you know that the charges are assured not to rise.

Our solicitor in Walthamstow Village has uncovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the flat we are purchasing in Walthamstow Village. The seller’s lawyers have put forward title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our solicitor says that as he is on the lender conveyancing panel he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the lender?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. A precondition to being on the lender approved panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that the lender can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.