My conveyancer has identified a defect with the lease for the apartment we are buying in Ilford. The seller’s lawyers have suggested defective title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our conveyancing practitioner says that he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the lender?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the mortgage company are the client. Your property lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the mortgage company can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your conveyancing practitioner will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
I am about to put a bid on a leasehold property in Ilford. The estate agents assure me that it is normal for flats in Ilford to have less than 75 years remaining. I am expecting a mortgage with Accord Mortgages. Is this going to be acceptable if the lease has 70 years remaining.
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. Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 3/3/2026 the requirements read as follows :
What does a local search tell me regarding the house my wife and I buying in Ilford?
Ilford conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations for instance Onsearch The local search plays an important role in many a Ilford conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any nasty surprises after you move into your property. The search will supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic sections.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Ilford?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Ilford. 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…’
In searching the world wide web for the term conveyancing in Ilford it reveals many solicitorslocally. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancer for my move?
The preferential way of choosing a suitable conveyancer is through a trusted referral, so enquire of colleagues and those you trust who have purchased a property in Ilford or the local estate agent or financial adviser. Costs for conveyancing in Ilford vary, so it's sensible to request a minimum of three fee estimates from different property lawyers. Dont forget to clarify that the fees are fixed.
We own a leasehold flat in Ilford. Conveyancing was completed in 2011. I have read on numerous advice forums that I mustn’t allow the the remaining lease term to fall too short. What is the reasoning?
Ilford leasehold properties are for a set period - usually just under one hundred years when they commenced. However a significant appartments in Ilford were built or converted in the 70’s80’s and so these leases now have less than 80 years remaining. This may seem like plenty of time but Banks, Building Societies and other mortgage institutions on the whole require leases to have at least 75 years remaining to adequate security. Accordingly when you come to sell the property you will need to extend the term of your lease if you are approaching seventy five years. To increase your property value you should be considering whether to extend your lease well in advance of selling the property. There are also advantages to doing so before the lease reaches even 80 years as when the lease is less than eighty years the amount to be paid to extend starts to get a lot more expensive.