I purchased a freehold residence in Harefield but nevertheless charged rent, why is this and what is this?
It is rare for properties in Harefield and has limited impact for conveyancing in Harefield 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 creation 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 is to be extinguished.
My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Harefield. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Santander, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?
Given you intend to re-mortgage then Santander will require that you use a conveyancer on the Santander conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Santander conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Santander mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
It is not clear whether my lender requires a lease extension. I have telephoned my Harefield building society branch on a couple of occasions and was reassured it wasn't an issue and they will lend. My Harefield conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- called and was told they refuse to lend in accordance with their specific requirements. I simply don't know who is right.
The conveyancer has to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook section two specifications for your lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.
Intending to buy a house in Harefield. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the TSB conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Harefield property lawyer is on the TSB conveyancing panel.
Our offer on a detached house in Harefield has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have placed an offer on somewhere, however it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other apartments in the pipeline. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Harefield. What do I do now? At what point do I apply for the mortgage with Lloyds?
It is normal to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey, Harefield conveyancing search fees, etc). The first thing to do is ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Lloyds approved list. Concerning the next phase this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to this property and on the state of the market. In a hot market many buyers would apply for the mortgage with Lloyds and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they ask their lawyer to press on with searches.
I need some expedited conveyancing in Harefield as I am faced with an ultimatum to exchange contracts inside 3 weeks. Thankfully I do not require a mortgage. Can I avoid the conveyancing searches to save fees and time?
As you are are a mortgage free purchaser you have the choice not to have searches conducted although no law firm would suggest that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Harefield the following are examples of what can be revealed and adversely impact the marketability of the property: Enforcement Notices, Overdue Fees, Outstanding Grants, Road Schemes,...
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Harefield?
Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Harefield. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Harefield before instructing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold element to the property. My surveyor has said that some lenders will not grant a mortgage on this type of home.
It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you call us we can check via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Harefield. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Harefield especially if they are familiar with such properties in Harefield.