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

It is rare for properties in Gillingham and has limited impact for conveyancing in Gillingham 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 post 1977.

Previous rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.

Me and my partner are buying a apartment in Gillingham. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we will need to put money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I'm in the process of looking at flats in Gillingham and I am about to put in an offer. Is it premature to have a solicitor in place? I will be getting a home loan with Barclays.

You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their contact information on to the EA. Given that you are taking out a mortgage with Barclays, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Barclays conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Gillingham solicitor having made sure that they are on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Aldermore will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Aldermore 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 property lawyer 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 Gillingham postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Aldermore, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Gillingham.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Gillingham?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Gillingham. 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…’

How do I use your search tool to choose a conveyancing solicitor in Gillingham on the authorised to act for my bank?

First pick a bank such as Halifax, The Royal Bank of Scotland or Nottingham Building Society then type in your preferred area e.g. Gillingham. Conveyancing firms in Gillingham and further afield should be listed.

I need to find a conveyancing solicitor for purchase conveyancing in Gillingham. I've land on a web site which looks to be the ideal solution If there is a chance to get all formalities done via phone that would be preferable. Do I need to be wary? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?