My friend's mother is a property lawyer. I am hopeful that I'll be able to get mate’s fee for conveyancing, but if not, what kind of fees should I be expecting for conveyancing in North Finchley?

It’s a good idea to seek two or three conveyancing estimates. Make use of our comparison tool on this site. The amounts will be different but the service one can expect are distinct between property lawyers as is the case with most professions.

I am buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in North Finchley. We would like to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will legal conveyancing on the property involve enquiries to determine if these alterations are permitted?

Your property lawyer should check the registered title as conveyancing in North Finchley can on occasion identify restrictions in the title documents which restrict certain works or require the permission of a 3rd party. Certain works call for local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

Is it the case that all North Finchley CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel?

A selection of lenders now make use of the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their panels.

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in North Finchley. My financial adviser suggested a conveyancing practitioner. I paid an on account payment of £200. Shortly after, the property lawyer contacted me to say that they were not on the Lloyds 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 Lloyds 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.

My relative recommended that where I am purchasing in North Finchley I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is occasionally included in the estimate for your North Finchley conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about North Finchley around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the North Finchley Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning North Finchley.

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a North Finchley conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a North Finchley conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non North Finchley conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be helpful:

Can they put you in touch with clients in North Finchley who can give a testimonial? What are the legal fees for lease extension work?

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without any joy. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such matters? Can you recommend a North Finchley conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?

in cases where there is a missing freeholder or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to arrive at the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a North Finchley property is Flat 2 2 Netherfield Road in April 2010. The Tribunale held that premium payable for a 90 year extension to the existing Lease should be £7,705. This case related to 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 76 years.

I've found a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in North Finchley. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in North Finchley ?

The majority of houses in North Finchley are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in North Finchley in which case you should be shopping around for a North Finchley conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.