I have Fifty Six years remaining on my lease and require a lease extension for my apartment in Greater Manchester. Conveyancing solicitors on the The Mortgage Works 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. The Mortgage Works have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 1/3/2026 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.
I am assisting my aunt sell her house in Greater Manchester. Does the conveyancer commission the EPC or do I organise this?
Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, EPC’s became a mandatory component of selling a property. An energy assessment must be to hand prior to the property being placed on the market. It is not something that lawyers normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Greater Manchester conveyancing lawyer they might help arrange energy assessments given their relationships with long established local providers
This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as a 1st time buyer of a two bedroom flat in Greater Manchester. Do I pick up the keys to the property on the completion date from my solicitor? If so, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Greater Manchester?
On the day of completion you will not be required to go to the conveyancers office in Greater Manchester. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the completion advance to the owner’s solicitors, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be called to receive the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.
is it true that all Greater Manchester conveyancing solicitors on the Nottingham conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Nottingham approved list of solicitors they would need to be overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. The majority of banks do list licenced conveyancers on their panel and in such a situation the practice would be governed by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
How easy is it to change solicitor as I need to appoint one who is on the Barclays conveyancing panel. I instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in Greater Manchester round the corner but she is not accepted by Barclays
We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Greater Manchester on the Barclays panel. Please note that the solicitors that we list do not pay us commission if you instruct them and are fully regulated by the SRA who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Greater Manchester. In utilising the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this website, you can contrast charges for conveyancing solicitors in Greater Manchester and throughout England and Wales.
I am a fortnight into a freehold purchase having been referred to a firm by the high street agent to execute conveyancing in Greater Manchester. I am am starting to be disappointed with the level of service. Could you you assist me in finding new conveyancers?
They would have to be very bad to suggest replacing them. Has your mortgage offer been generated? In the event that it has you will need to advise them of the new contact details and ensure the mortgage documents are re-sent. Your new conveyancer should be on the lenders approved list to avoid added expenses and complications. That should be your starting point. Our search tool will help you find a lender approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Greater Manchester
I wish to let out my leasehold apartment in Greater Manchester. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?
Notwithstanding that your previous Greater Manchester conveyancing solicitor is not available you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the property. The accepted inference is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you must seek consent via your landlord or other appropriate person before subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet without first obtaining permission. Such consent should not be unreasonably withheld. If your lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.
Leasehold Conveyancing in Greater Manchester - A selection of Queries before buying
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Can you inform me if there are any major works anticipated that will likely add a premium to the service fees? How is the lease structured? Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability?
I am due to consider quotes for conveyancing in Greater Manchester from three property lawyer and decide on one. Am I right to tell them to hold tight until I I have my bid accepted on a apartment.
You should wait to request your conveyancing practitioner to open a file and order searches once the offer has been agreed to on the property especially as Greater Manchester conveyancing searches are a couple of hundred pounds.