Just been in touch with my conveyancing lawyer in Llanddulas who acted for me two years ago requesting a conveyancing quote based on an identical type of house move (a leasehold premises and a freehold premises) of almost identical values with a loan from The Mortgage Works. I am now being quoted twice the amount. Am I right to be tempted to shop around for an alternative firm of conveyancing solicitor?
The quote is fractionally on the expensive side. If you shop around you could shave off some of the cost by as much as a hundred pounds. That being said, if you were pleased with the conveyancing the firm provided you maycome to regret choosing an an untested solicitor. If is important to ensure the conveyancer can also act for The Mortgage Works. You can employ our search tool to get a quote a Llanddulas conveyancing firm on the The Mortgage Works approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Llanddulas.
About to place an offer on a leasehold apartment in Llanddulas. The selling agents advise that it is standard for flats in Llanddulas to have less than 75 years remaining. I am obtaining a loan with The Mortgage Works. Will the property be mortgageable given that the lease has 70 years to go.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining 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 11/8/2025 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.
A relative informed me that in purchasing a property in Llanddulas there may be various restrictions as to what one can do in terms of external alterations to the property. Is this right?
There are a number of properties in Llanddulas which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Llanddulas should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Co-operative, do Llanddulas conveyancers incur a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are unaware of any lender fees to be on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.
I'm in the process of viewing flats in Llanddulas and I am about to put in an offer. Is it best to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I will be getting a mortgage with TSB.
It would be wise to start your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the selling agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with TSB, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the TSB conveyancing panel.
My wife and I own a renovated Edwardian house in Llanddulas. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and TSB. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Llanddulas and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also question the position with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.
In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business premises in Llanddulas and how can your lawyers assist?
The 1954 Act provides security of tenure to business tenants, giving them the right to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease comes to an end. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Llanddulas is one of our hundreds of locations in which the firms we work with are based
We have just become aware that one of the directors of the law firm handling the purchase conveyancing in Llanddulas is an uncle of the vendor. Is this acceptable?
On the basis that no conflict arises this is permitted. Where you are requiring mortgage finance then the lender may have a say as many banks have specific requirements concerning this. For example for Santander as of 11/8/2025, the requirements read as follows :