My partner and I are hoping to buy a flat in Brent Cross and have appointed a Brent Cross conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Nottingham Building Society have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Brent Cross solicitor is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?

If you are buying a property requiring a mortgage it is standard for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Brent Cross lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

My wife and I intend to remortgage our apartment in Brent Cross with Aldermore. We have a son approaching twenty who lives with us. Our solicitor has asked us to disclose anyone over the age of 17 other than ourselves who reside at the property. The solicitor has now sent a form for our son to sign, waiving any legal rights in the event that the property is forfeited by the lender. I have a couple of questions (1) Is this document specific to the Aldermore conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we remortgaged 5 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?

On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Aldermore. This is solely used to protect Aldermore if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Aldermore had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

I am looking to buy a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Brent Cross who is on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society solicitor. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Norwich and Peterborough Building Society in certain locations such as Brent Cross. We dont recommend any particular firm.

I need some fast conveyancing in Brent Cross as I am faced with a deadline to sign on the dotted line inside 2 weeks. Thankfully I do not need a mortgage. Can I avoid the conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

If.Given you are are a mortgage free buyer you have the choice not to do searches although no conveyancer would suggest that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in Brent Cross the following are instances of what can show up and adversely impact the marketability of the property: Refused Planning Applications, Overdue Charges, Overdue Grants, Unadopted Roads,...

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Brent Cross conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Brent Cross conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Brent Cross conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be useful:

How many lease extensions have they conducted in Brent Cross in the last 12 months? What are the charges for lease extension work?

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decide on such issues? Can you recommend a Brent Cross conveyancing firm to represent me?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Brent Cross conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Brent Cross residence is First Floor Flat 61 Wilberforce Road in March 2014. The premium payable was £10,130 and the case was remitted back to the Willesden County Court to effect the Vesting Order (Claim No 3W103100). This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 71 years.