We're in Wanstead Flats, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Leeds Building Society , and our lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no property lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Wanstead Flats. I have a mortgage agreed with Bank of Ireland. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.

After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Wanstead Flats. My mortgage broker suggested a conveyancer. I paid an upfront payment of £225. A couple of days later, the property lawyer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Coventry BS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Bank of Ireland. Is it usual for Bank of Ireland to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Wanstead Flats is approved on their conveyancing panel? Bank of Ireland have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Bank of Ireland to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

How does conveyancing in Wanstead Flats differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Wanstead Flats come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because builders in Wanstead Flats typically purchase 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 conveyancers 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 Wanstead Flats or who has acted in the same development.

How difficult is it to swap firm as I need to retain a firm on the HSBC Bank conveyancing panel. I was using a local conveyancing solicitor in Wanstead Flats five minutes from me but he is not approved by HSBC Bank

It would be our pleasure to assist you select a conveyancing solicitor in Wanstead Flats on the HSBC Bank panel. Please note that the law firms that we list do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are authorised and regulated by the SRA who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Wanstead Flats. Using search facility on this website, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Wanstead Flats.

Completion is due on the disposal of our £400,000 flat in Wanstead Flats on Tuesday in a week. The freeholder has quoted £348 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Wanstead Flats?

Wanstead Flats conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes nine out of ten times results in fees being invoiced by managing agents :

Addressing pre-contract enquiries Where consent is required before sale in Wanstead Flats Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Wanstead Flats leasehold premises is £350. For Wanstead Flats conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply the information.

Wanstead Flats Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

You should be aware that where the lease has no more than eighty years it will affect the marketability of the property. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are willing to go ahead with the loan given the lease term. A short lease means that you will most likely need a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this will be. For most Wanstead Flatslease extensions you would need to own the property for 24 months in order to be entitled to exercise a lease extension. You should want to find out as much as possible concerning the company managing the block as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day matters like the tidiness of the communal areas. Enquire of other tenants whether they are happy with them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the relevant party and specifically what you get for your money.