I am the only recipient of my late father’s will with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Wapping. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in January. I now wish to sell up. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', which means that my property ownership may be regarded the same way as if I'd bought the house in January. Will no one buy the property for half a year?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook instructs conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you may be affected by that. Most lenders would take a pragmatic view as this clause is principally there to identify subsales or the wholesaling and assigning of properties.

Is there a list of Nationwide panel conveyancers in Wapping on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

No. There is no such directory service on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association sites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings visible on the web. If you are in need of a Wapping lawyer on the Nationwide please make the most of our facility.

I can not fathom if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension. I have called my Wapping bank branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My Wapping conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they refuse to lend in accordance with their published requirements. I have no idea who is right.

Provided that the solicitor is on the lender approved list, they must adhere to the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

I am looking for a flat up to £305k and identified one close by in Wapping I like with a park and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 49 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Wapping in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

I was pointed in your direction by a number of property agents in Wapping to choose a conveyancer using your seach tool. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to market your lawyers over alternative conveyancing organisations?

We refuse to give any referral fee for sending work in our direction. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission because home movers will think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

I am four weeks into a leasehold purchase having been directed to conveyancers by the local agent to handle our conveyancing in Wapping. I am not happy. Could you help me find new lawyers?

A solicitor would have to be very poor in order to consider changing them. Has your mortgage been generated? If so you need to advise them of the new contact details and get the loan are issued to the new lawyers. Your solicitor ideally needs to be on the banks approved list to avoid supplemental fees and delays. That should be your first question of the new lawyers. Our find a solicitor tool will help you find a bank approved solicitor for your home move in Wapping

I have just appointed agents to market my basement apartment in Wapping. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, however I have just received a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

It best that you clear the service charge as usual as all ground rent and service payments should be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

Notwithstanding our best endeavours, we have been unsuccessful in seeking a lease extension in Wapping. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

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 it is possible to make an application to the LVT to calculate the sum to be paid.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Wapping premises is 1-41 Royal Tower Lodge 40 Cartwright Street in April 2013. the tribunal adding the agreed value of capitalised ground rents and the reversion the price to be paid for the freehold was £1,187,000 This case affected 41 flats. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 107 years.