It has come to my attention via my broker that my Cambridgeshire the law firm I have appointed is not on the mortgage company Conveyancing panel. How can I check?

You need to call your Cambridgeshire conveyancer. You lawyer should inform you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your lender.

I purchased a freehold premises in Cambridgeshire but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Cambridgeshire and has limited impact for conveyancing in Cambridgeshire 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 establishment of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

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

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Cambridgeshire?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Cambridgeshire. 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 am buying my first flat in Cambridgeshire with a loan from Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. The sellers refused to move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent advised me not inform my solicitor about the side-deal as it may affect my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Cambridgeshire. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Cambridgeshire should include some of the following:

Who has the liability for repairing the window frames Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property? if lease caters for for a sinking account for major works? The unexpired lease term. You should receive guidance as what happens when the lease ends, and informed of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years

Cambridgeshire Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

This information is helpful as a) areas can result in problems for the block as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate if repairs remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the managing agents you will need to have all the details Plenty Cambridgeshire leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service charge for maintenance of the building set on behalf of the landlord. Should you purchase the property you will have to meet this charge, usually in instalments during the year. This may differ from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large communal areas. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, this is usually not a significant amount, say approximately £50-£100 but you need to enquire it because on occasion it could be surprisingly expensive. Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability?