I am the registered owner of a freehold property in Arlesey but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?
It is rare for properties in Arlesey and has limited impact for conveyancing in Arlesey but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.
Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of fresh rentcharges post 1977.
Previous rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 is to be extinguished.
I am about to put an offer on a leasehold property in Arlesey. The property agents say that it is the norm for flats in Arlesey to have less than 75 years remaining. I am obtaining a mortgage with Virgin. Will the property be mortgageable given that 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. Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 3/11/2026 the requirements read as follows :
I happen to be the only beneficiary of my late father’s estate and I have everything in my name alone, including the my former home in Arlesey. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in October. I plan to dispose of the house. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', which means that my proprietorship will be considered the same way as if I'd bought the house in October. Do I have to wait 6 months to sell?
The CML handbook obliges conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you may be caught by that. Some banks would take a sensible view as this obligation is primarily there to identify the purchase and immediately sell or the wholesaling and assigning of properties.
We had chosen conveyancing lawyers locally in Arlesey on the Bank of Ireland solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a further sum for handling the Bank of Ireland mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Bank of Ireland?
As unfair as it may seem, as long as it’s in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your solicitor is entitled to charge a fee for this. The charge is not set by Bank of Ireland but by your Arlesey solicitor. Plenty of firms on the Bank of Ireland panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but many firms include it on their overall fee.
Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with TSB. Arlesey conveyancing lawyers were selected. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from TSB?
There is no definitive answer here. Have TSB completed the valuation? Have you advised TSB as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the TSB conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
Various web forums that I have visited warn that are the main reason for obstruction in Arlesey house deals. Is this right?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released conclusions of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the common causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Local searches are not likely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Arlesey.
I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Arlesey. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.
Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Arlesey - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.
Arlesey Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before Purchasing
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How long is the Lease? How much is the ground rent and service charge? How is the lease structured?
Why do Arlesey conveyancing charges differ for leasehold and freehold properties?
Leasehold conveyancing in Arlesey can involve additional due diligence such as reviewing the lease, communicating with the landlord, obtaining up to date rent receipts, landlord’s consents, management company’s accounts etc.