I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in Fordingbridge but still invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in Fordingbridge and has limited impact for conveyancing in Fordingbridge 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 generation of new 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 post 2037 will be extinguished.
When reading moneysavingexpert.com for an online solicitor in Fordingbridge, many comment that I should instruct a CQS assured solicitor. Can you explain what CQS is?
The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised quality mark for legal experts in home moving process, trusted by some of the UK's major mortgage companies. In 2011-12 the Conveyancing Quality Scheme was officially recognised by the Legal Ombudsman. The scheme does not cover licenced conveyancers. Fordingbridge is one of the many areas of the UK where there are Accredited solicitors.
I am assisting my mother sell her property in Fordingbridge. Will the conveyancer commission the energy performance certificate or it is for the owner to see to?
After the demise of Home Information Packs, energy assessments was maintained a mandatory part of selling a house. An energy assessment should be commissioned before the property is placed on the market. It is not something that law firms ordinarily organise. If you are using a Fordingbridge conveyancing lawyer they may be able to arrange EPC’s given their relationships with reputable Fordingbridge providers
We previously appointed conveyancers based in Fordingbridge on the Coventry BS solicitor panel. They have just billed me a supplemental amount for the legal aspects of the Coventry BS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Coventry BS?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your conveyancing practitioner can charge a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by Coventry BS but by your Fordingbridge conveyancing practitioner. Plenty of firms on the Coventry BS panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.
Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Barclays. Fordingbridge conveyancing lawyers are appointed. How long does it take for Barclays to issue the offer to the lawyer?
Some lenders take longer than others. Have Barclays conducted the valuation? Have you informed Barclays as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Barclays conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.
A colleague suggested that if I am purchasing in Fordingbridge I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is usually quoted for as part of the standard Fordingbridge conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Fordingbridge around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Fordingbridge Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Fordingbridge Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Fordingbridge.
Me and my brother own a terraced Edwardian property in Fordingbridge. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and TSB. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. Is it worth asking TSB to clarify?
You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Fordingbridge and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing practitioner who completed the work.
I today plan to offer on a house that seems to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Fordingbridge. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Fordingbridge ?
The majority of houses in Fordingbridge are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Fordingbridge in which case you should be looking for a Fordingbridge conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer will advise you fully on all the issues.