My Tilehurst conveyancer has identified a difference when comparing the surveyor’s assumptions in the valuation survey and what is in the conveyancing documents. My solicitor informs me that he needs to check that the lender is happy with this discrepancy and is content to go ahead. Is my solicitor’s approach correct?
Your solicitor must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.
I am buying a detached bungalow in Tilehurst. We would like to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will legal conveyancing on the property include investigations to ascertain if these works are prohibited?
Your solicitor will check the registered title as conveyancing in Tilehurst will occasionally reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prohibit categories of alterations or need the consent of a 3rd party. Certain additions need local authority planning permissions and approval under the building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be wise to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Tilehurst off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Co-operative. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Co-operative, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.
My offer was accepted on an apartment in Tilehurst on 17/9/2025, valuation was booked five days after, all came back fine. Property lawyer appointed, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Kent Reliance and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Are Kent Reliance entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Kent Reliance to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Tilehurst?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Tilehurst. 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'm buying my first flat in Tilehurst with a loan from Leeds Building Society. The developers would not reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The sale representative suggested that I not disclose to my solicitor about this extras as it may put at risk my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
I am a negotiator for a long established estate agency in Tilehurst where we have witnessed a number of leasehold sales derailed due to short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Tilehurst conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?
Provided that the seller has been the owner 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 proposed purchaser can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, 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 buyer.
I acquired a basement flat in Tilehurst, conveyancing was carried out February 2011. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable properties in Tilehurst with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2096
With 71 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.
Me and my partner have just had an offer accepted on a house and had meeting on Tuesday with Leeds Building Society for the mortgage. They advised us that when it comes to appointing a property lawyer that if they are not on their approved panel of property lawyers then we will have to pay out an extra charge of £200. This is is due to the fact that they would then have to select a solicitor to act for them as well as the one we choose to act for ourselves and we assume responsibility for their costs. I have asked Leeds Building Society to provide me with a list so I can request quotes only from their approved solicitors but was told they dont have such a list to hand over. Is there a list online?
Ask Leeds Building Society what their panel criteria is for a solicitor.Then ask the conveyancer of your choice whether they fit that criteria and have they acted on loans for Leeds Building Society historically. If the answer to those is yes, then just double check with Leeds Building Society. Alternatively please make use of our search tool and we may be able to find you a solicitor in Tilehurst on the panel for Leeds Building Society.