We note that you have a post code search directory identifying solicitors on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I appoint them for our conveyancing in West Ham?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Lloyds conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in West Ham.

Can you clarify what the consequences are if my solicitor is suspended from the Principality Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in West Ham?

First, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our house in West Ham and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was constructed land that was not decontaminated. Any high street West Ham lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers used a nationwide conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in West Ham. Having lived in West Ham for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to seek clarification that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same sickness)

Is it best to go with a West Ham conveyancing solicitor based in the location that I am purchasing? I have an old university friend who can deal with the legal work but they are based a couple of hundredkilometers away.

The benefit of a high street West Ham conveyancing firm is that you can pop in to execute paperwork, hand in your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. Having local West Ham know how is a bonus. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If if people you trust instructed your friend and they were happy that must outweigh using an unfamiliar West Ham conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being local.

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a West Ham conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a West Ham conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you talk with several firms including non West Ham conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be useful:

How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation? What are the legal fees for lease extension work?

I inherited a first floor flat in West Ham. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for a lease extension?

in cases where there is a missing landlord or if there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the LVT to judgment on the price payable.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a West Ham premises is 46 Credon Road in January 2014. On 11 September 2013 Deputy District Judge Price sitting at the Bow County Court made a vesting order that the freeholder surrender his lease and be granted a new lease of the Premises on such terms as may be determined by the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).The appropriate sum as concluded by the Tribunal was £7225 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 69.77 years.