I am the registered owner of a freehold property in Countesthorpe but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Countesthorpe and has limited impact for conveyancing in Countesthorpe 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 after 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

My father informed me that in buying a property in Countesthorpe there could be various restrictions prohibiting external changes to a property. Is this right?

There are anumerous of properties in Countesthorpe which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Countesthorpe should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

We had appointed conveyancing lawyers based in Countesthorpe on the UBS solicitor approved list. They are now charging me a separate charge for the legal aspects of the UBS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by UBS?

As unfair as it may seem, as long as it’s in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your lawyer is entitled to charge a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by UBS but by your Countesthorpe lawyer. Plenty of firms on the UBS panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but plenty of firms include it on their overall fee.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Countesthorpe. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

Almost all banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Countesthorpe. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Countesthorpe

Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants.

In what way does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business property in Countesthorpe and how can you help?

The 1954 Act gives a safeguard to business lessees, giving them the legal entitlement to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease comes to an end. There are limited grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Countesthorpe is one of our many locations in which the firms we work with are located

I own a leasehold flat in Countesthorpe. Conveyancing and Accord Mortgages Ltd mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing solicitor in Countesthorpe who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to instruct a Countesthorpe conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Countesthorpe Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their service charge payments? Where a Countesthorpe lease has fewer than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the salability of the flat. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are content with residual term of the lease. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will probably require a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth finding out how much this will be. For most Countesthorpelease extensions you would need to own the property for two years in order to be legally able to carry out a lease extension. Be sure to enquire if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For example plenty of leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Countesthorpe. If you like the apartmentin Countesthorpe but your cat can’t move with you then you will be faced difficult determination.