I am the registered owner of a freehold property in Saffron Walden but nevertheless invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in Saffron Walden and has limited impact for conveyancing in Saffron Walden 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 generation of fresh rentcharges from 1977 onwards.
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.
I am about to put an offer on a leasehold property in Saffron Walden. The estate agents tell me that it is standard for flats in Saffron Walden to have less than 75 years remaining. I am obtaining a mortgage with Bank of Ireland. Is this going to be acceptable if the lease has 72 years remaining.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are getting a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Bank of Ireland have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 19/1/2026 the requirements read as follows :
I understand that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to have this when buying a house in Saffron Walden? or I am told that there is a law dating back centuries that means some homeowners living in a parish church boundary may be liable to pay for maintenance towards the chancel in proximity to the church. Is this applicable for conveyancing in Saffron Walden?
Unless a prior purchase of the property took place after 12 October 2013 you could assume that solicitors carrying out conveyancing in Saffron Walden to continue to suggest a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.
I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Saffron Walden. I now require my file however the law firm has closed. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Saffron Walden of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for sale conveyancing in Saffron Walden. I happened to discover a web site which looks to be the ideal offering If it is possible to get all the legals completed via web that would be ideal. Do I need to be concerned? What should out be looking out for?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden apartment in Saffron Walden.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have recently received a yearly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?
The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice as normal as all ground rent and service charges should be apportionedon completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process