I have Fifty Six years remaining on my lease and need a lease extension for my apartment in Ebbw Vale. Conveyancing solicitors on the Virgin panel can deal with such extensions right?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing 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 4/10/2025 the requirements read as follows :
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Ebbw Vale?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Ebbw Vale. 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 decided to have a survey done on a property in Ebbw Vale in advance of appointing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor has said that some lenders will refuse to give a mortgage on this type of house.
It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different requirements from Halifax. Should you wish to telephone us we can check via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Ebbw Vale. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in Ebbw Vale and how can your lawyers assist?
The 1954 Act affords a safeguard to commercial tenants, granting the legal entitlement to make a request to court for a new tenancy and continue in occupation when the lease comes to an end. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are involved. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Ebbw Vale is one of our many areas of the UK in which the firms we work with have offices
I've found a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Ebbw Vale. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Ebbw Vale ?
Most houses in Ebbw Vale are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Ebbw Vale so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Ebbw Vale conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.
Ebbw Vale Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before buying
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What is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the property? It would be sensible to find out as much as possible about the managing agents as they can either make your living at the property much simpler or a lot more difficult. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters like the cleanliness of the communal areas. Ask other tenants what they think of their management. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the appropriate party and specifically what you get for your money. How many years remain on the lease?
My partner and I are acquiring a ground floor flat in Ebbw Vale. At the time of instructing our property lawyer, they assured us that they were on all major UK bank panels. Our financial adviser emailed today to say that they are not on the Coventry BS approved list. If it turns out to be true, what should we do? Do we simply pick a new lawyer that is on their panel or should we cover the costs for dual representation, with Coventry BS selecting their own approved property lawyer.
When acquiring a property with mortgage finance it is conventional for the buyer’s solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a lawyer has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the lawyer to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict conditions which the conveyancer has to satisfy. Some mortgage companies now insist their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should call Coventry BS to find out if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on Coventry BS's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Ebbw Vale solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.