Me and my wife are acquiring our first home. The lawyer has messagedto check if we want to take out supplemental conveyancing searches. As novices we in the dark as to what's appropriate for conveyancing in Richmond
The type of Richmond conveyancing searches should be dictated primarily on the premises, the location, the possibility of any of these risks, your knowledge of the locality and risks, your overall appetite to risk. What is important is that you properly comprehend what information each search could give you. You may then make a decision if you personally think you need that search. If unclear, ask your lawyer to explain.
It is a dozen years since I acquired my property in Richmond. Conveyancing solicitors have just been retained on the sale but I can't find my deeds. Will this cause complications?
You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be retained by your mortgage company or they could be archived with the lawyers who handled your purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Richmond involves registered property but in the rare situation where your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.
I am about to put an offer on a leasehold flat in Richmond. The selling agents advise that it is the norm for flats in Richmond to have less than 75 years unexpired on the lease. I am taking out a loan with The Mortgage Works. Will the property be mortgageable given that the lease has 69 years left.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are getting 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 30/9/2026 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.
The deeds to my property can not be found. The solicitors who dealt with the conveyancing in Richmond 4 years ago have long since closed. What are my next steps?
Nowadays there are copies made of almost everything, and your solicitor will know exactly where to locate all the appropriate documentation so you can buy or sell your property without a hitch. If copies can’t be located, your lawyer can arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities against possible claims on your property.
I am purchasing a new build house in Richmond benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent suggested that I not inform my solicitor about this extras as it may affect my loan with Halifax. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the UK Finance website. UK Finance form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.
Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.
Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.
My business partner and I are hoping to lease a unit on a shopping parade. Can you recommend lawyers offering no-sale-no costs for non-domestic conveyancing in Richmond for less than £2000?
We are happy to recommend firms who have an in-depth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Richmond, including the sale and purchase of businesses as well as simply premises. Whether you are looking to purchase or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a complete business we will put you in touch with the right lawyer. Regarding the fees these will vary based on the structure and complexity of the proposed transaction. Please provide us with your details or phone so as to enable us to furnish you with a detailed commercial conveyancing calculation.