Awareness of an area's issues and concerns can mean the difference between a stress-free move, and a drawn-out and difficult process. Your Property Lawyer will use their working associations with the local authority and other bodies to deliver better results. In addition, areas of concern specific to the Camden Town region will also be examined.

Disadvantaged Areas in Camden Town

Disadvantaged Areas Relief may be available in nearly 2,000 areas throughout the UK. In England and Wales, they are based on local government wards and electoral divisions. No stamp duty is payable on residential property purchases where the price paid is under £150,000. Above £150k, no stamp duty relief may be available. For a purchase below the threshold, it is worth making a simple postcode search to find out if a property is in a disadvantaged area. This relief is not generally available on commercial property, but some relief may be available for 'mixed use' premises such as a shop with a flat above.

Searches in Camden Town

If your are purchasing a property in Camden Town a property lawyer has to apply for Local Authority Searches. The Local Authority for Camden Town is London Borough of Camden Council, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE. Tel: 020 7974 4444

The consequences of your solicitor not being on your Mortgage Lender's panel

Lenders once permitted any solicitors' firm to join their panel. These panels were established so that firms could join and thereby perform legal work on mortgages on behalf of lenders. Lenders have also reduced the size of their panels, setting more restrictive criteria for membership. If a lender will not instruct a firm you have picked to perform your legal work, you have the following choices:

• Obtain a mortgage from a less restrictive lender
• Instruct a solicitor whom your lender accepts
• Pay the lenders costs for their solicitor in addition to your own

It is usually cheaper to have the same firm act both for you and your lender, and carry out all the conveyancing work in connection with a purchase and the mortgage. Issues to consider if you intend to swap to a firm on the panel:

• The second firm may have a different fee structure, or higher fees
• Work which the first solicitor has completed already may need to be paid for regardless of your decision.
• Your new conveyancing solicitor may have weaker local knowledge.