I am the registered owner of a freehold house in Sandhurst but nevertheless invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?
It is rare for properties in Sandhurst and has limited impact for conveyancing in Sandhurst 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 hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of new rentcharges post 1977.
Previous rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.
Can you point me to a directory of Bank of Ireland panel conveyancers in Sandhurst on the Building Society Association’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of lenders make their panel listings viewable over the internet. Where you are in need of a Sandhurst conveyancing practitioner on the Bank of Ireland please make the most of our tool.
My fiancee and I are spending time viewing houses in Sandhurst and I am about to put in an offer. Is it best to have my property lawyer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a home loan with Lloyds.
It would be advisable to start your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the selling agent. As you are taking out a mortgage with Lloyds, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel.
Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Sandhurst solicitor - who is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Virgin Money will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Virgin Money will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your solicitor will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Sandhurst postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Virgin Money, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Sandhurst.
I need some expedited conveyancing in Sandhurst as I have an ultimatum to exchange contracts inside 4 weeks. Luckily I do not need a mortgage. Is it possible to escape the need for conveyancing searches to save fees and time?
As you are not obtaining a mortgage you are at free not to have searches conducted although no solicitor would suggest that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in Sandhurst the following are instances of issues that can be revealed and therefore impact future saleability: Refused Planning Applications, Outstanding Charges, Overdue Grants, Unadopted Roads,...
My wife and I purchased a terraced Victorian property in Sandhurst. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Leeds Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. Is it worth asking Leeds Building Society to clarify?
You should read 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 Sandhurst and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing practitioner who completed the work.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Sandhurst is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can give?
Flying freeholds in Sandhurst are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Sandhurst you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Sandhurst may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.
If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £450,000 apartment in Sandhurst in 5 days. The landlords agents has quoted £348 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Sandhurst?
Sandhurst conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be content to assist. They are at liberty to invoice a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it exceeds £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. In reality you have little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.
I acquired a 1st floor flat in Sandhurst, conveyancing having been completed January 2011. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar flats in Sandhurst with a long lease are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2103
You have 77 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £7,600 and £8,800 as well as professional fees.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.