My lawyer has identified a a legal deficiency with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Patcham. The seller’s lawyers have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer has advised that he must be satisfied that the bank is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the lender?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. Your conveyancer 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 lender 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 lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
I have 71 years left on my lease and require a lease extension for my flat in Patcham. Conveyancing solicitors on the Virgin panel can deal with such extensions right?
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. Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 7/9/2025 the requirements read as follows :
We are getting the release of further funds on our mortgage from Santander as we intend to carry out alterations to our home in Patcham. Are we obliged to appoint a bricks and mortar Patcham solicitor on the Santander conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Santander would not normally require firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Santander conveyancing panel.
I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Skipton. I assume I don't need a Patcham solicitor on the Skipton panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Skipton 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 Skipton mortgage from the register. Skipton, 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 Skipton has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
- Skipton has instructed the Land Registry to do so
The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Patcham. 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 Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Patcham I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Patcham in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
Should you require a home loan that many years will be an issue. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.
Builders have suggested I use a solicitor and I've obtained a quote from them. It's almost two hundred pounds less expensive than my local Patcham property lawyer. What's the catch?
Builders often have panels of lawyers who expedite matters and who know the builder's paperwork and conveyancer. Plenty of developers offer an inducement to choose their approved conveyancing practitioner for this reason, any increased cost can be avoided and a developer won't suggest a conveyancing warehouse and run the risk of having the transaction stall when they demand an exchange within a tight time frame. The argument for not opting for the suggested conveyancing practitioner is that they may be hesitant to 'push' your interests at the risk of upsetting the developer. If you worry that this may be the situation you should keep with your local Patcham property lawyer.