My solicitor has uncovered a defect with the lease for the flat we are purchasing in Lea Bridge. The seller’s lawyers have put forward title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our conveyancing practitioner has advised that he must ensure that the mortgage company is content with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the lender?
Regardless of the fact that you have a mortgage offer from the bank does not mean to say that the property will meet their conditions for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. You and the lender are the client. These conveyancing instructions must be adhered to.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Lea Bridge. My lender is Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 22/2/2025, the requirements read as follows :
I am helping my sister sell her house in Lea Bridge. Will the conveyancing solicitor arrange an EPC or it is for me to see to?
After the demise of HIPs, EPC’s was left as a compulsory element of moving property. An energy assessment needs to be commissioned in advance of the property being advertised. It is not something that conveyancers ordinarily arrange. Where you are instructing a Lea Bridge conveyancing solicitor they might be willing to arrange energy performance certificates given their relationships with reputable Lea Bridge providers
We had instructed solicitors based in Lea Bridge on the Barclays solicitor panel. They have just billed me a separate charge for handling the Barclays mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Barclays?
As unfair as it may seem, as long as it’s in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your lawyer is entitled to charge a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by Barclays but by your Lea Bridge property lawyer. Plenty of firms on the Barclays panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but plenty of practices include it on their overall fee.
I am buying a property in Lea Bridge. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Leeds Building Society be concerned?
Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Leeds Building Society your lawyer must follow the conveyancing requirements set out in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Leeds Building Society. The CML Handbook includes minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancers are required to report to Leeds Building Society where a lease fails to satisfy these conditions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not isolated to Lea Bridge.
How does conveyancing in Lea Bridge differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Lea Bridge contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because house builders in Lea Bridge typically purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Lea Bridge or who has acted in the same development.
I am looking for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one close by in Lea Bridge I like with a park and railway links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Lea Bridge for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?
If you need a mortgage that many years will be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this.