I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in South Kensington. My lender is Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 27/5/2026, the requirements read as follows :
Various web forums that I have come across warn that are the primary reason for stalling in South Kensington house deals. Is there any truth in this?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the top 10 causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Searches are unlikely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in South Kensington.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in South Kensington?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in South Kensington. 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…’
My husband and I are FTB’s - agreed a price, but the selling agent has warned us that the owners will only issue a contract if we use their chosen lawyers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family solicitor used to conveyancing in South Kensington
We suspect that the owner is unaware of this ultimatum. Should the vendor desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is counter productive. Try to communicate with the sellers directly and explain that (a)you are serious buyers (b)you are ready to go, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you intend to use your own,trusted South Kensington conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will provide their estate agent a referral fee or hit his conveyancing figures set by head office.
I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without any joy. Can one make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a South Kensington conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?
Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a South Kensington conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a South Kensington residence is Flat 16 21/22 Stanhope Gardens in November 2010. the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal concluded that the premium to be paid by the tenant on the grant of a new lease, in accordance with section 56 and Schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, was £106,975 This case related to 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 51.93 years.
What are the common problems that you come across in leases for South Kensington properties?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in South Kensington. Most leases are individual and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections are erroneous. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:
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Insurance obligations
A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Yorkshire Building Society, Bank of Scotland, and Barclays Direct all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to pull out.
Do online conveyancing organisations undertake everything a local South Kensington solicitor does or do I still need to employ a solicitor for the final stages for my conveyancing in South Kensington?
If you choose an online conveyancer they should cover all the things your South Kensington solicitor would cover.