We are a couple about to sign contracts for a property in Elland. We encountered a stumbling block. Our mortgage offer with Nottingham Building Society expires on 17/3/2026 but the owners are putting forward a completion date of 19/3/2026. Is it possible to prolong the mortgage offer?
The best person to address this issue is your solicitors who is in a position to determine whether he or she is better off negotiating with the mortgage broker, vendor’s representatives, estate agents or conceivably all parties based on what has gone on in your conveyancing to date.
I purchased a freehold property in Elland but nevertheless pay rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in Elland and has limited impact for conveyancing in Elland 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 many centuries, 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 after 2037 will be extinguished.
My home in Elland is up for sale and I have a buyer. Will the conveyancer need to be on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their panel criteria fairly frequently currently.
We are buying a house and the conveyancer has raised the issue of Chancel Repair to which the property could be liable given it’s proximity to the area of such a church. He has suggested insurance. Is this really warranted for conveyancing in Elland
Unless a prior acquisition of the house took place post 12 October 2013 you could assume that conveyancing practitioners delivering conveyancing in Elland to continue to recommend a chancel search and or chancel repair liability insurance.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and identified one close by in Elland I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Elland for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?
If you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.
How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my commercial premises in Elland and how can you help?
The 1954 Act affords a safeguard to commercial leaseholders, granting the legal entitlement to make a request to court for a new lease and remain in occupation when the lease reaches an end. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act for protection and assist with commercial conveyancing in Elland