I'm in the process of swapping over from my existing standard mortgage to a Buy to Let Alliance & Leicester mortgage. The bank has said that I must appoint a lawyer for this. I got in contact with my previous Crystal Palace conveyancing practitioner who dealt with the legals when I originally bought the premises. The costs illustration issued of £450 plus VAT is surprising as I am not require purchase conveyancing - it’s simply a bog-standard refinance.
The charges appear a tad high. If you shop around you might decrease the fees marginally by say a hundred pounds. On the other hand, assuming were happy with the conveyancing the firm provided you couldlive to rue choosing an an untested conveyancer. If is important to ensure the conveyancer can represent Alliance & Leicester . Do use our search tool to choose a Crystal Palace conveyancing firm on the Alliance & Leicester member panel, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Crystal Palace.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Crystal Palace. My lender is Accord Mortgages
Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 6/10/2025, the requirements read as follows :
Me and my partner are buying a apartment in Crystal Palace. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a solicitor? On the day of competition we will need to deposit funds into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?
Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.
Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Co-operative. Crystal Palace conveyancing practitioners are chosen. How long does it take for Co-operative to issue the offer to the solicitor?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Co-operative completed the survey? Have you informed Co-operative as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Co-operative conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
I am buying a property in Crystal Palace. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Leeds Building Society have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that your lender is Leeds Building Society your lawyer must check the conveyancing instructions contained in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Leeds Building Society. The CML Handbook sets out minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Leeds Building Society where a lease does not satisfy these conditions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not restricted to Crystal Palace.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Crystal Palace?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Crystal Palace. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
I need to find a conveyancing solicitor for freehold conveyancing in Crystal Palace. I've land on a web site which appears to be the perfect offering If there is a chance to get all the legals done via email that would be preferable. Should I be wary? What are the potential pitfalls?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
I am the proprietor of a garden flat in Crystal Palace. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the premium payable for the purchase of the freehold?
You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Crystal Palace conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Crystal Palace flat is Flat 1 4 Border Crescent in March 2012. the Tribunal decided that the sum payable by the Applicants to the Respondent in respect of the new lease for the subject property should be £11,616.00 (ElevenThousand and Six Hundred and Sixteen Pounds) This case related to 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 72.04 years.
Are there common defects that you encounter in leases for Crystal Palace properties?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Crystal Palace. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:
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A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Yorkshire Building Society, Skipton Building Society, and Alliance & Leicester all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to pull out.