My IFA says he needs my Kingston law firm’s panel reference for the Nat West conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have contacted my local Kingston office but they cant find it on their system.

You are best placed to get this information from your Kingston . They maintain a central record lender panel numbers.

Why do I have to pay up front for conveyancing in Kingston?

If you are buying a property in Kingston your solicitor will ask you to provide them with funds to cover the the cost of the conveyancing searches. This will be the total of the cost of the conveyancing searches. When the deposit is payable against the sale price then this should be required shortly prior to contracts are exchanged. The final balance that is due should be sent to your lawyer a few days prior to the completion date.

Will my solicitor be raising questions regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Kingston.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Kingston. Plenty of people will purchase a house in Kingston, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that may be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which should figure out the risks in Kingston. The standard completed inquiry forms supplied to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual question of the vendor to determine whether the property has suffered from flooding. If the premises has been flooded in past which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a purchaser could issue a legal claim for losses as a result of such an misleading reply. A buyer’s conveyancers may also carry out an enviro search. This should higlight if there is any known flood risk. If so, additional investigations should be initiated.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Kingston is where the house is located. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in Kingston are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Kingston you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Kingston may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

We are in the process of selling our flat in Kingston. Conveyancing is fine but we have been asked to pay an extortionate amount from the managing agents. To date we have forked out £295.50 for a leasehold management information and then another £118 for answers to queries raised by the buyers .

Your will not have any say over the extent of the charges for this information however the average costs for the information for Kingston leasehold premises is £360. For Kingston conveyancing deals it is usual for the seller to pay for these charges. The freeholder or their agents are not duty bound to address these questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at high prices out of proportion to the work involved. Regretfully there is no legislation that requires capped fees for administrative tasks. Nor is there any prescriptive time limit by which they are duty bound to provide the information.