Would the conveyancing solicitors via your comparison service execute conveyancing in Rumney by way of an attended exchange?
We do have a number of conveyancing specialists carrying out one day exchanges. You should contact us to receive a conveyancing quote and details as to dates.
I have 71 years left on my lease and require a lease extension for my apartment in Rumney. Conveyancing solicitors on the The Mortgage Works panel can deal with such extensions correct?
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. The Mortgage Works have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 16/3/2026 the requirements read as follows :
Where the unexpired lease term is different to that recorded on the mortgage offer, the following clarifies if we need to be informed:
Second hand property:
- If the unexpired lease term on the offer is 85 years or more - only advise us if the actual lease term is less than 85 years
- if the unexpired lease term on the offer is less than 85 years – advise us if the actual lease term is different than reported
- For equity share applications - advise us if the actual lease term is different than reported on the offer
New build property:
- If the unexpired lease term stated on the offer is 125 years (flat) / 250 years (house) or more - only advise us if the actual lease term is less than 125 years (flat) / 250 years (house)
- For equity share applications - always advise us if the actual lease term is different than reported on the offer
Lease terms such as ground rent and event fees must be reasonable at all times during the term of the lease and adhere to our requirements below. If you’re unsure as to whether the terms of a lease are unreasonable or onerous, please refer the details to us in plain English for Valuer consideration. If the potentially onerous terms are in relation to the ground rent please include the current ground rent figure per annum, how often it will be reviewed and the price structure it will be reviewed against. See the guidance below.
SECOND HAND PROPERTIES
Unacceptable - advise Issuing Office (Will be declined):
- Unexpired lease term less than 70 years
- Less than 30 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term
- Ground Rent greater than 0.5% of the property value
- Ground Rent doubles less than every 20 years (e.g. doubles every 5, 10 or 15 years) - acceptable if doubles every 20 years or more
- Ground Rent is compounded RPI
- Ground Rent review period less than or equal to 5 years
Refer to Issuing Office (Valuer will consider any impact on valuation figure and marketability):
- Unexpired lease term is 70 to 85 years
- Ground Rent greater than 0.1% and less than or equal to 0.5% of the property value
- Ground Rent escalation is linked to any indices greater than RPI
- Ground Rent escalation is linked to the value of the building*
- Ground Rent review period is greater than 5 and less than 10 years
- Event clauses exist for normal use e.g. changing the carpet, installing a TV aerial etc
- Estate Rent Charges greater than £500 p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Service Charges greater than 1.0% of property value p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Anything that appears onerous, unusual or out of the ordinary
Acceptable (no requirement to advise Issuing Office):
- Unexpired lease term greater than 85 years
- Ground Rent less than or equal to 0.1% of the property value
- Ground Rent review period greater than or equal to 10 years
- Ground Rent escalation less than or equal to RPI
NEW BUILD PROPERTIES (includes office conversions)
Unacceptable - advise Issuing Office (will be declined):
- Unexpired lease term less than 125 years on a new build flat or less than 250 years on a new build house
- Any lease which is subject to a ground rent (or annual rent) being charged which is more than on a peppercorn basis
- Any lease which is subject to a ground rent (or annual rent) being reviewed and altered on any review basis or methodology
Refer to Issuing Office (Valuer will consider any impact on valuation figure and marketability):
- Event clauses exist for normal use e.g. changing the carpet, installing a TV aerial etc
- Estate Rent Charges greater than £500 p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Service Charges greater than 1.0% of property value p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Anything else appears onerous, unusual or out of the ordinary
Acceptable (no requirement to advise Issuing Office):
- Unexpired lease term greater than or equal to 125 years on a new build flat or greater than or equal to 250 years on a new build house
- A lease subject to a peppercorn ground rent (annual rent) charges
For the avoidance of doubt, any new build properties completed but not sold pre 30 June 2022 will only be acceptable if the lease conforms to the above guidance
* Where the Ground Rent escalation is linked to the value of the building, please provide the following:
- How is the value of the block/unit currently calculated and if the assessment relates to the block(s), how is the Ground Rent calculated/apportioned per property?
- The current valuation and Ground Rent for each unit
- What is the mechanism for future valuations of the block and how is the Ground Rent calculated/apportioned?
- What is the right of appeal? And is this a documented process within the lease?
- Who bears the cost of the valuation (and appeal) process?
- Confirmation the review period is not less than twenty years
LEASE EXTENSIONS
We require all lease extensions to be completed under the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and to meet the above criteria as a minimum. Where you become aware that it does not meet these requirements, please refer to the Issuing Office
Please ensure that all lender enquiries are submitted (with full documentation/requirements) at least 2 weeks prior to exchange to allow sufficient time for review and decisioning.
Does a directory service exist listing UBS panel conveyancers in Rumney on the Building Society Association’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few mortgage companies make their panel listings available online. If you are seeking to appoint a Rumney conveyancing practitioner on the UBS please make the most of our facility.
We had selected conveyancing lawyers based in Rumney on the Clydesdale solicitor panel. They are now charging me an additional fee for the legal aspects of the Clydesdale mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Clydesdale?
Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your lawyer may levy a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by Clydesdale but by your Rumney conveyancer. Plenty of firms on the Clydesdale panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but plenty of practices incorporate it on their overall fee.
Planning on purchasing a flat in Rumney. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the TSB 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 Rumney conveyancing practitioner is on the TSB conveyancing panel.
Do I need to be concerned by estate agents that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a web based conveyancing firm rather than a local Rumney conveyancing firm?
As is the case with lots of professional services, often input from family and friends can be most helpful. Nevertheless there are many players in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and mortgage companies may suggest lawyers to select. On occasion the solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but occasionally there may be a commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You are at liberty to choose your preferred lawyer. However, bear in mind that some mortgage providers specify a panel list of lawyers you are obliged to use for the lender aspect of your house move.
I am employed by a long established estate agent office in Rumney where we have experienced a number of flat sales derailed due to short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Rumney conveyancing solicitors. Please can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?
As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.
Rumney Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before buying
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How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? This information is important as a) areas could cause problems in the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if services are not paid for b) if the leaseholders have an issue with the running of the building you will wish to have all the details The best form of lease structure is where the freehold title is owned by the leaseholders. In this situation the lessees benefit from control and although a managing agent is often employed if the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.
What type of premises does your Rumney conveyancing estimates relate to?
Our conveyancing quotes are only applicable to standard domestic homes in England & Wales. If you have any different needs such as industrial or agricultural land or commercial conveyancing in Rumney you should telephone us to discuss your requirements .