My solicitor has uncovered a a problem with the lease for the flat we are buying in Ruislip. The seller’s lawyers have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are content with insurance and will cover the costs. Our conveyancer says that he must be satisfied that the lender is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the mortgage company ?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the bank are the client. Your solicitor must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. 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 solicitor will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Ruislip. My lender is Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 22/4/2026, the requirements read as follows :
The deeds to my house can not be found. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Ruislip 4 years ago no longer exist. What are my options?
As long as you have a registered title the details of your ownership will be retained by HMLR with a Title Number. It is possible to conduct a search at the Land Registry, find your house and get current copies of the property title for less than a fiver. If the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will in most cases hold a certified duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be obtained for twenty pounds.
I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Ruislip before instructing lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. My surveyor advised that some banks may not issue a mortgage on this type of home.
It varies from the lender to lender. Bank of Scotland has different requirements from Halifax. Should you wish to telephone us we can look into this further via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Ruislip. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Ruislip especially if they are acquainted with such properties in Ruislip.
My uncle has recommend that I use his conveyancers in Ruislip. Do I take his recommendation?
No doubt the best way to choose a conveyancing solicitor is to have referrals from friends or relatives who have actually previously instructed the solicitor that you are are thinking of instructing.
I work for a long established estate agency in Ruislip where we have experienced a number of flat sales put at risk due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Ruislip conveyancing solicitors. Can you clarify whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?
As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.
After years of correspondence we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Ruislip. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?
Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Ruislip conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Ruislip property is Flat 72 Queens Walk in January 2013. The Tribunals calculated the premium payable to be £22,090. This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 53.26 years.