Recently contacted my conveyancing solicitor in Kingston upon Thames who completed the legal work two years ago asking for a conveyancing costs illustration based on an identical type of house sale & purchase (a leasehold property and a freehold premises) of almost identical values with a mortgage from Alliance & Leicester . I am now being quoted twice the amount. Should I look for an alternative property lawyer?

The estimate does seem a tad overpriced. If you shop around you could shave off some of the expense by perhaps £100 plus VAT. That being said, providing that you were pleased with the conveyancing the firm provided you maycome to rue opting for an an untested lawyer. Remember to enquire that the firm can act for Alliance & Leicester . You can use our search tool to find a Kingston upon Thames conveyancing firm on the Alliance & Leicester approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Kingston upon Thames.

I am the registered owner of a freehold residence in Kingston upon Thames yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Kingston upon Thames and has limited impact for conveyancing in Kingston upon Thames 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 from 1977 onwards.

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

My relative advised me that where I am buying in Kingston upon Thames I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is occasionally included in the estimate for your Kingston upon Thames conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Kingston upon Thames around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Kingston upon Thames Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Kingston upon Thames Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Kingston upon Thames.

I'm refinancing my existing home to a BTL mortgage with Nottingham Building Society and I will use the rest of the raised equity towards further house. The location we are talking about is Kingston upon Thames. Will your solicitors be able to act for the two banks and tie in the two deals?

Make use of our search tool on this page to check that the conveyancers are approved by both mortgage companies. Having checked that they are the conveyancer should be able to simultaneously deal with the two conveyancing matters but you should have a chat with you lawyer and specify your expectations and requirements.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Kingston upon Thames. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without any joy. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such issues? Can you recommend a Kingston upon Thames conveyancing firm to help?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Kingston upon Thames conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Kingston upon Thames premises is Flat D 15 Claremont Gardens in September 2013. TheTribunal determined in accordance with section48 and Schedule13 of the Leasehold Reform,Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 that the premium for the extended lease should be fourteen thousand one hundred and eighty seven pounds (£14,187.00) This case was in relation to 1 flat.