Is there a reason why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Wandsworth is more expensive?
In short, leasehold conveyancing in Wandsworth and elsewhere usually involve additional hours of investigation compared to freehold conveyancing. This includes checking the lease terms, corresponding with the landlord about serving appropriate notices, securing current service charge and management information, procuring the landlord’s consents and reviewing management accounts. The obligations on both the landlord and the tenant in the lease need to be studied by the buyer’s conveyancing team and read from beginning to end – no matter how many different leaseholders have owned the lease since it was first granted.
I have Fifty Six years remaining on my lease and require a lease extension for my flat in Wandsworth. Conveyancing solicitors on the Virgin panel can deal with such extensions correct?
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. Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 6/4/2026 the requirements read as follows :
Will our lawyer be making enquiries concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Wandsworth.
The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers conducting conveyancing in Wandsworth. There are those who purchase a property in Wandsworth, completely aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.
Conveyancers are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a various searches that can be carried out by the purchaser or by their lawyers which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Wandsworth. The standard information sent to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual question of the vendor to determine whether the premises has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not notified by the vendor, then a buyer may issue a compensation claim stemming from an incorrect answer. A buyer’s conveyancers will also commission an environmental search. This will higlight whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations will need to be initiated.
How does conveyancing in Wandsworth differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Wandsworth come to us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because new home sellers in Wandsworth typically buy the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Wandsworth or who has acted in the same development.
In what way does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my commercial property in Wandsworth and how can your lawyers assist?
The particular law that you refer to provides security of tenure to business tenants, granting the dueness to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of an expired lease. There are limited grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing practices who use the act for protection and assist with commercial conveyancing in Wandsworth
I have recently realised that I have 68 years left on my lease in Wandsworth. I now wish to get lease extension but my landlord is absent. What are my options?
On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. On the whole a specialist would be useful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be used as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Wandsworth.
After months of negotiations we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Wandsworth. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?
Where there is a missing landlord or where there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant statutes you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to assess the price payable.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Wandsworth premises is 4 Galveston Road in August 2012. The Tribunal determined that the price payable in respect of the purchase of the freehold was £22,650. The Tribunal remited this matter back to the Wandsworth County Court for execution of the freehold Transfer Deed. This case was in relation to 2 flats.