I own a freehold house in Leigh but nevertheless pay rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in Leigh and has limited impact for conveyancing in Leigh 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 date back hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of new rentcharges post 1977.
Old rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 will be dispensed with completely.
I have Fifty Six years remaining on my lease and require a lease extension for my apartment in Leigh. Conveyancing solicitors on the Platform panel can deal with such extensions correct?
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. Platform have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 22/3/2025 the requirements read as follows :
Can you help - my lawyer advises that lack of building regulations insurance is needed on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Leigh conveyancing?
The right level of lack of building regulations indemnity insurance should be dictated by who your lender. It would differ for example between Barclays and Barnsley Building Society. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Santander, do Leigh conveyancers incur an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?
We are not aware of any mortgage company fees to be on their panel, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.
I had a mortgage agreed in principle with RBS. Leigh conveyancing lawyers are chosen. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from RBS?
There is no definitive answer here. Have RBS done the survey? Have you informed RBS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the RBS conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Leigh?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Leigh. 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…’
I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one round the corner in Leigh I like with amenity areas and transport links in the vicinity, however it only has 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Leigh suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
Should you require a home loan the shortness of the lease will be problematic. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least 2 years you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.
I have just appointed agents to market my basement flat in Leigh. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?
The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice as usual given that all rents and maintenance invoices will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
I invested in buying a 1 bedroom flat in Leigh, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2011. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent flats in Leigh with over 90 years remaining are worth £202,000. The ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2082
With just 57 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £28,500 and £33,000 as well as legals.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.