The owners have very brash sellers who has insisted on a preliminary agreement with a non-refundable deposit 6,000. Are such agreements sensible?

Exclusivity agreements are agreements between a property owner and prospective acquirer granting the buyer exclusive rights to the sale of the property for a certain period of time. For all intents and purposes, an exclusivity is a document stating that you will be issued with a contract at a later date which is the contract for the actual sale. It is generally used for buyer assurance though in many situations, the seller may enjoy an upside from such agreements as well. There are many positives and negatives to having an agreement but you need to check with your lawyer but note that it may result in incurring extra in conveyancing fees. In light of this these agreements are not popular in relation to conveyancing in Greystones.

I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in Greystones but nevertheless invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Greystones and has limited impact for conveyancing in Greystones 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 extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.

I am buying a new build house in Greystones benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The estate agent advised me not to tell my lawyer about this side-deal as it may put at risk my loan with Nottingham Building Society. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and identified one near me in Greystones I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, however it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Greystones suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you may request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.

In scouring the web for the term conveyancing in Greystones it brings up numerous property lawyersin the area. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right property lawyer for my move?

The ideal way of finding a suitable conveyancer is via personal recommendation, so seek the opinion of friends and relatives who have acquired a property in Greystones or the local estate agent or mortgage broker. Charges for conveyancing in Greystones differ, so it's advisable to secure a minimum of three estimates from different companies. Dont forget to clarify that the fees are fixed.