I have just started taking steps with a view to transferring my current homeowner mortgage to a Buy to Let Alliance & Leicester mortgage. I have been informed by my broker that I must appoint a lawyer as part of the process. I had a chat my past North London conveyancing firm who dealt with the legals when I first bought the house. The fee calculation supplied of £575 plus disbursements has shocked me as I am not require purchase conveyancing - it’s simply a straightforward remortgage.
The charges appear a little high. Where you are prepared to expend time contrasting charges you may be able to get the conveyancing a bit cheaper by as much as £125. That being said, providing that you were satisfied with the conveyancing the firm offered you maycome to regret choosing an a cheaper solicitor. If is important to enquire the conveyancer can also act for Alliance & Leicester . You can use our search tool to choose a North London conveyancing firm on the Alliance & Leicester approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in North London.
Can conveyancing in North London to be finalised in two weeks?
In the event that you are under time constraints to complete we would recommend that your solicitor is familiar with the area as they will have local contacts and knowledge. It is possible that they would have transacted otherhomes in the same street. Therefore consider using a North London conveyancing lawyer. Second, be sure that the lawyer is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is believed that 18% of North London conveyancing deals are delayed or derailed after discovering a buyer’s conveyancer was not on their banks member panel. This can often result in the legal process being frustrated by as much as 21 days. It is believed that this issue affects in the region of one hundred thousand home sales every year. Almost all North London conveyancing firms can not represent certain lenders so do check as early as possible.
About to place a bid on a leasehold apartment in North London. The selling agents assure me that it is the norm for flats in North London to have less than 75 years remaining. I am getting a mortgage with The Mortgage Works. Is this going to be acceptable if the lease has 69 years remaining.
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 29/1/2026 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.
We had selected conveyancers located in North London on the Barclays solicitor approved list. They are now charging me a further fee for handling the Barclays mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Barclays?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your lawyer may charge a fee for this. This charge is not set by Barclays but by your North London property lawyer. Some firms on the Barclays panel will levy ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.
I have paid off my mortgage with HSBC. I assume I don't need a North London conveyancing practitioner on the HSBC panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your HSBC mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the HSBC mortgage from the register. HSBC, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:
- but are not moving to another property
- where HSBC has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- HSBC has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in North London. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?
All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.
I am downsizing from my house. My previous conveyancers has retired. I would be grateful for any recommendation of a conveyancing firm. I happen to live in North London if that makes things easier.
Do use our search tool to help you find a solicitor for your conveyancing in North London. We have connected thousands of home buyers and sellers with lender approved solicitors to ensure that the legalities of their house move goes with a minimum of fuss.