I am in a contract race with another prospective purchaser for a property in Norwood. What can I do to expedite matters?

In a situation where the seller is applying time constraints to complete it is advisable to make sure that your conveyancer is familiar with the area as they will make use of local relationships and know-how. It is possible that they may have conducted previoushouses in the same street. You would be best advised to use a Norwood conveyancing firm. In addition, check that the lawyer is on the member panel. It is believed that nearly one in five of Norwood conveyancing transactions are suspended or jeopardised after finding out that a purchaser’s solicitor was not on their mortgage lender’s panel. This can often result in the conveyancing being frustrated by as much as three weeks. It is claimed that this issue impacts approximately 100,000 home sales annually. Almost all Norwood conveyancing practices can not represent certain lenders so do check at the outset.

It is is a decade since I acquired my house in Norwood. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been retained on the sale but I can't track down the deeds. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be kept by the mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the lawyers who handled the purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring current official copies of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Norwood relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

My wife and I have recently appointed a conveyancing solicitor in Norwood. I need to find out whether they are on the Platform Home Loans Ltd approved list of lawyers. Can you assist?

The first thing to do is e-mail your conveyancer and ask them whether they can act for the bank. Alternatively please call Platform Home Loans Ltd who may be able to confirm.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Norwood. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Norwood

The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

As co-executor for the estate of my father I am selling a residence in Newport but live in Norwood. My conveyancer (who is 260 miles awayhas requested that I execute a stat dec before the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing lawyer in Norwood who can attest and place their company stamp on the document?

strictly speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are located in Norwood