My friend's step-father is a property lawyer. I anticipate that I'll be able to get mate’s pricing for conveyancing, but if not, what kind of figure should I be paying for conveyancing in Hounslow?
Do compare pricing. Make use of our search tool on this page. Whilst quotes do vary but service levels do are distinct between solicitors as is true with most professions.
I am purchasing a property without a mortgage in Hounslow. I have lived for the last 20 years in Hounslow. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. Given that I know the area and road intimately must I have all the conveyancing searches?
Provided that you do not need a mortgage, then the vast majority of the Hounslow conveyancing searches are optional. Your lawyer will try and steer you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches completed, but he is duty bound to do this. One thing to bear in mind; if you are likely to sell the house in the future, it will be of importance to your prospective buyer what the searches disclose. There are plenty of instances where properties with apparent issues can still reveal detrimental search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Hounslow will be able to give you some helpful guidance in this regard.
I have Fifty Six years remaining on my lease and need a lease extension for my apartment in Hounslow. 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 15/2/2025 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.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and identified one round the corner in Hounslow I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, however it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Hounslow for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?
Should you need a home loan that many years will likely be problematic. Reduce the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.
Should I appoint a Hounslow conveyancing solicitor based in the area that I am hoping to buy? An old friend can execute the conveyancing however they are based 300kilometers away.
The primary upside of using a local Hounslow conveyancing practice is that you can drop in to execute documents, deliver your ID and pester them where appropriate. Having local Hounslow know how is a plus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who instructed your friend and the majority were impressed that must surpass using an unknown Hounslow conveyancing lawyer just because they are local.
My parents are experiencing difficulties in finding their Hounslow land registry title on the site. They have a vague recollection fifty years ago when they acquired the property there were complications with Hounslow not being identified on some systems.
Almost all premises in Hounslow should be revealed. Have you endevoured to search to just the postcode. Usually it will reveal all the premises within that postcode. Assuming the property is registered it will show up with a title number. Where they bought back in the 60’s it's conceivable it may be unrecorded. The property could still be revealed but with the title number identified as 'na'. In this scenario you will need to track down the original title deeds which may be with your parent’s lender.