About to place a bid on a leasehold property in Hampton Hill. The property agents advise that it is standard for flats in Hampton Hill to have less than 75 years left on the lease. I am getting a loan with Virgin. Is this going to be acceptable if the lease has 70 years remaining.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 27/4/2025 the requirements read as follows :
Is it the case that all Hampton Hill solicitor practices on the Nottingham conveyancing panel are overseen by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Nottingham approved list of solicitors they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. The majority of lenders do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such practice would be overseen by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
We expect to receive a AIP from Virgin Money this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Virgin Money recommend any Hampton Hill solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?
You will need to appoint Hampton Hill solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Virgin Money through the process.
About to purchase house in Hampton Hill. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Hampton Hill property lawyer is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel.
I note that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Do I need chancel insurance when acquiring a property in Hampton Hill? or Apparently there is a law dating back centuries that could mean that owners of property living in a parish church boundary may be liable to contribute towards repairs towards the chancel within the church. Is this a legitimate concern for conveyancing in Hampton Hill?
Unless a previous acquisition of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you may assume that conveyancing practitioners conducting conveyancing in Hampton Hill to remain recommending a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.
How does conveyancing in Hampton Hill differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Hampton Hill contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is constructed. This is because house builders in Hampton Hill tend to buy the site, 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 conveyancers 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Hampton Hill or who has acted in the same development.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Hampton Hill is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Hampton Hill are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Hampton Hill you would need to get your solicitor to go 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 Hampton Hill may ascertain 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 premises.
How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my business property in Hampton Hill and how can your lawyers assist?
The particular law that you refer to gives security of tenure to business tenants, giving them the right to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are involved. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Hampton Hill is one of our many locations in which our lawyers are located