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

As solicitors, in order to be on the Yorkshire BS approved list of solicitors they would need to be overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Some mortgage companies do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the practice would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in West Dulwich off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Bank of Ireland. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. 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.

I recently had an offer accepted on a house in West Dulwich. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their solicitor. I paid an on account payment of £225. A couple of days later, the conveyancer contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Kent Reliance 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 Kent Reliance 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.

A friend recommended that if I am buying in West Dulwich I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is occasionally included in the estimate for your West Dulwich conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about West Dulwich around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about West Dulwich.

My business partner and I are looking to lease a unit on a shopping parade. Can you recommend conveyancers offering no-sale-no costs for commercial conveyancing in West Dulwich for below 1500k?

We can recommend firms who host a wealth of experience of commercial conveyancing in West Dulwich, including the sale and acquisition of businesses as well as simply property. If you are intending to acquire or sell a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail unit or a complete business we will put you in touch with the right firm. As for the fees this will depend on the structure and complexity of the proposed transaction. Please provide us with your contact information or phone so as to enable us to provide you with a fixed commercial conveyancing calculation.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a West Dulwich conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a West Dulwich conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non West Dulwich conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be of use:

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without getting anywhere. Can a leaseholder make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a West Dulwich conveyancing firm to help?

if there is a absentee freeholder or if there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to calculate the price payable.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a West Dulwich property is 8 Deerbrook Road in May 2010. the Tribunal held that the enfranchisement price, in accordance with section 32 and Schedule 6 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 was £22,820, payable by the Applicants. By an order of the Lambeth County Court dated 17 June 2009 the case had been transferred to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal for its determination of the premium payable This case related to 3 flats.

I was told by my lender that their approved conveyancers work on no completion no fee basis for conveyancing in West Dulwich. I had a purchase fall through nevertheless the solicitors want search fees! They say the fees are seperate!

West Dulwich conveyancing search costs are separate expenses not solicitors costs as these are payable to a third party.