My conveyancer has discovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Barnt Green. The seller’s lawyers have suggested defective title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will cover the costs. Our lawyer has advised that he must ensure that the bank is willing to move forward with this solution. Are we the client or is the bank?

Even though you have a mortgage offer from the mortgage company does not mean to say that the property will meet their conditions for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. You and the bank are the client. The appropriate lender provisions have to be complied with.

I own a freehold house in Barnt Green but nevertheless 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 have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my house can not be found. The lawyers who handled the conveyancing in Barnt Green 4 years ago have long since closed. What do I do?

As long as you have a registered title the information relating to your proprietorship will be held by the Land Registry under a Title Number. It is possible to execute a search at the Land Registry, identify your property and get current copies of the property title for a small fee. Where the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will usually retain a certified duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be obtained for a small fee.

How does conveyancing in Barnt Green differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Barnt Green contact us having been asked by the builder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because house builders in Barnt Green typically purchase the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Barnt Green or who has acted in the same development.

I am looking into buying my first house which is in Barnt Green and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Barnt Green. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Barnt Green area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Barnt Green. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found