I own a freehold premises in Barnt Green but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Barnt Green and has limited impact for conveyancing in Barnt Green 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 many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of fresh rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 is to be extinguished.

My wife and I have recently appointed a conveyancing solicitor in Barnt Green. I I am struggling to find out if they are on the Clydesdale approved list of lawyers. Can you or the lender confirm if they are on the panel?

The first thing you should do is e-mail the solicitor and enquire if they can act for the bank. Otherwise please get in touch with Clydesdale who may be able to assist.

I have been told that property searches are the main cause of delay in Barnt Green conveyancing transactions. Is there any truth in this?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released findings of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the top 10 causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are unlikely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Barnt Green.

I have just appointed agents to market my basement apartment in Barnt Green. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have just received a yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

It best that you clear the invoice as you normally would because all ground rent and service invoices should be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage 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.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Barnt Green - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Are there any major works in the planning that will likely increase the maintenance fees? How is the lease structured? It is important to be aware whether redecorating or some other major work is pending to be shared by the leaseholders and may well materially increase the the maintenance fees or require a specific invoice.

Do online conveyancing organisations cover everything a local Barnt Green solicitor does or must I retain a solicitor for the final stages for my conveyancing in Barnt Green?

Where you instruct an online conveyancer they will undertake all the work your Barnt Green solicitor will cover.