I am about to put an offer on a leasehold property in Burnham On Sea. The selling agents assure me that it is the norm for flats in Burnham On Sea to have less than 75 years remaining. I am obtaining a mortgage with Bank of Ireland. Is this going to be acceptable if the lease has Seventy One years remaining.

Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Bank of Ireland have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 3/8/2025 the requirements read as follows :

I am helping my aunt sell her property in Burnham On Sea. Will the conveyancer order an energy performance certificate or do I organise this?

Following the abolition of HIPs, energy performance certificates became a compulsory element of moving house. An EPC should be to hand before the property is marketed. This is not a task that conveyancers normally organise. Where you are using a Burnham On Sea conveyancing solicitor they might be willing to arrange energy performance certificates given their relationships with long established local assessors

My husband and I have organised the release of further funds on our home loan from UBS as we intend to conduct a loft conversion to our home in Burnham On Sea. Are we obliged to appoint a high street Burnham On Sea solicitor on the UBS conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

UBS do not ordinarily appoint a member of their approved list of lawyers to handle such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the UBS panel.

Bank of Ireland have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a house in Burnham On Sea has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

Your property agent will wish to be advised as to your property lawyer's details (ensure that the property lawyers are on the lender’s approved list). Call up Bank of Ireland or your broker and complete any appropriate paperwork. Bank of Ireland will sellect a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or owners to book a time for the valuation to occur. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes on average ten days to get a mortgage offer. Bank of Ireland will send the offer to you and your solicitors. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Burnham On Sea.

How does conveyancing in Burnham On Sea differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in Burnham On Sea contact us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because developers in Burnham On Sea tend to purchase the real estate, 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 property lawyers 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 Burnham On Sea or who has acted in the same development.

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Burnham On Sea conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Burnham On Sea conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with several firms including non Burnham On Sea conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:

What are the costs for lease extension work? How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?

I invested in buying a 1st floor flat in Burnham On Sea, conveyancing having been completed 8 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding properties in Burnham On Sea with an extended lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2087

With only 62 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £17,100 and £19,800 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

Please can you recommend a good Burnham On Sea property lawyer for purchasing an apartment? A friend suggested one but their estimate was £1150 for a 250k property. That seems high. The mortgage company will be HSBC.

The purpose of this site is limited to being a directory service for property lawyers who want to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for HSBC in certain locations such as Burnham On Sea . Our intention is not to recommend any specific conveyancer.