I am purchasing a right to buy a flat in Woolwich. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Woolwich you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Woolwich.

Do I select a Licenced Conveyancer or Solicitor for conveyancing in Woolwich?

There are two types of lawyers who can perform conveyancing in Woolwich namely licenced conveyancers or solicitors. The two can provide the legal services that you need to complete the sale or purchase of property. They are both required to execute Woolwich conveyancing on similar standards and guidelines so you can be safe in the knowledge that your conveyancing will be properly carried out and that all necessary procedures will be appropriately adhered to.

I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in March 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, Skipton are being pedantic. The Woolwich solicitor who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Skipton are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Skipton have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Skipton have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Skipton may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Yorkshire BS have agreed my home loan in principle, my offer on a house in Woolwich has been agreed to, now what?

Your property agent will want to be advised as to your lawyer's details (ensure that the property lawyers are on the bank’s approved list). Telephone Yorkshire BS or the broker and finalise any outstanding documentation. Yorkshire BS will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or vendor to arrange an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes about a fortnight to get a mortgage offer. Yorkshire BS will send the offer to you and your solicitors. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Woolwich.

I am looking for a flat up to £245,000 and found one close by in Woolwich I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Woolwich suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan that many years will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Woolwich with the intention of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Woolwich can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Organising a re-issued share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Woolwich conveyancing transaction. If a new share certificate is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later. You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should double-check by asking your lawyers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is below 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale. If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s permission? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Woolwich state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Should you dont have the approvals in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your lawyer in advance.

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without success. Can one make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Woolwich conveyancing firm to represent me?

in cases where there is a absentee landlord or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to make a decision on the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Woolwich 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 affected 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 69.77 years.

Do all mortgage companies provide you with an approved list of Woolwich solicitors? How do you know who is on the lender conveyancing panel?

Woolwich law firm practices and firms carrying out conveyancing in Woolwich themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the lender conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from the bank directly.